President Professor Arthur Peter Mutharika has disclosed that the construction of the much awaited Phalombe District Hospital will begin in one month from now.

Mutharika disclosed this on Wednesday when he officially put a foundation stone for a K9 billion national cancer centre at Malawi Health Sciences in Lilongwe.

“The DPP Government will stop at nothing until we have transformed health care in this country. We are unstoppable! We have proudly finished Nkhatabay Hospital. Today, we are beginning the Cancer Centre. Let me say one thing clearly to the contractors: I am giving you one and half years to finish this Cancer Center. No buts, no ifs – deliver on time! And will be coming to supervise the construction myself.

“Next are Phalombe District Hospital and Blantyre District Hospital. For Phalombe Hospital, we are concluding the evaluation process this week and construction will begin in one month from now. For Blantyre District Hospital, Minister of Finance, make sure you allocate the funding into the budget. It is a must that these two hospitals take off because people are waiting and suffering,” said Mutharika.

Mutharika also said the government should always honour its agreement with Christian Health Association of Malawi (CHAM).

“I want also to see full support given to the Christian Health Association of Malawi (CHAM). Let us honour our service agreement with CHAM because these are the people that reach our people’s lives where there are no Government health facilities.

“More than ever, I want to see a stronger partnership between Government and the private health sector. This Cancer Center will serve Malawians better if we work together as partners in health care,” added Mutharika.

Meanwhile President Mutharika has warned health workers to stop demanding cash from patients.