… Germans act to improve rural health
Berlin, April 5, 2020
Zambia’s Ambassador to Germany His Excellency, Mr. Anthony Mukwita has commended Amatheon Agri and the German Arbeither -Samariter Bund (ASB) for their joint donation of an ambulance to the Kaindu Health Center in Mumbwa District.
Amatheon, a German investment company, has invested over 15million dollars in agricultural activities in Mumbwa district while employing about 600 workers and supporting an out-grower scheme involving hundreds of farmers.
And ASB, a German organization, focuses on health and wellness, medical services and infrastructure in Mumbwa District. Together, the two organizations target geographically isolated communities that surround Amatheon’s farm. The initiative includes training intended to minimize the risk of spreading infectious diseases, and how to apply infection prevention measures.
Ambassador Mukwita said the donation is expected to contribute to the avoidance of needless deaths that sometimes arise from the failure to get a patient to a health facility where they could get immediate medical attention.
“This is particularly a major challenge in rural areas where most residents do not have their own motorized form of transport”, the senior diplomat noted.
Mr. Mukwita observed that investments in rural areas of Zambia are particularly welcome as they contribute to the bridging of the development gap that exists between urban and rural parts of the country.
In recent interactions Ambassador Mukwita has had with Amatheon Chief Excecutive Mr. Carl Bruhn, indications are that the German investor intends to expand investment in the Zambian agricultural sector, a move that shall see hundreds of Zambians pull out of poverty.
Under President Edgar Lungu, the agricultural sector has received significant attention as government continues to invest in road infrastructure to link areas of production with their markets, improved distribution of farming inputs, expediting the payments to farmers selling their produce to the Food Reserve Agency, FRA and embracing technology to expand investment opportunities.