Government through the Ministry of Health has announced that the construction of the long awaited Phalombe District Hospital will commence in June next year and will cost $22,156, 924.

Ministry of Health spokesperson Henry Chimbali speaking in an interview with FaceofMalawi said the hospital will have a 300 hundred bed capacity and will help improve quality health care under the provision of the Essential Health Packeage (EHP).

The hospital project will see the government paying consultancy service fee amounting to $1,260,240 with monitoring and support cost valued at $200,000.

Hospital complex and associated external works will cost $11,827,944 equipment, (medical and non– medical) at S$4, 349,074 while 60 staff houses and associated external works shall cost $4,519,666 totalling a cost of $22,156, 924.

The project is being financed by Malawi government which will contribute at least $1.6million, Badea $7million and Saudi Fund $14million, said Chimbali,

“Building a hospital like this big project is a worthwhile investment for government, as such; we need to have everything in place and in order. We may seem to have delayed but it is important to get everything right at the beginning to avoid larger consequences in future,” explained Chimbali.

No contractor has yet been found but, the government has informed that it has a consultant who is looking at the designs of the hospital and once the hospital is completed it will improve the lives of people in the district as the nation strives for health excellence, said Chimbali.