Health Minister Roma Chilengi has called on Zambian companies to put their money where their mouth is and invest in the upgrade of mental health facilities, after Finsbury Reinsurance Limited pumped more than K400,000 into the refurbishment of B Ward at Chainama Hills Hospital in Lusaka.
Chilengi made the call during the official handover of the refurbished ward on Thursday, according to LusakaTimes.com, praising the local insurer for showing what Zambian businesses can do when they answer the needs of their own people instead of waiting for handouts from abroad.
A Zambian company answering a Zambian need
Professor Chilengi said corporate social responsibility initiatives matter because they complement government efforts to strengthen healthcare delivery and improve conditions for both patients and the healthcare workers who serve them under difficult conditions.
He said the contribution demonstrated how Zambian companies could respond to community needs and create a lasting social impact beyond their core business operations. Then he threw down the challenge.
He challenged other companies to emulate Finsbury Reinsurance Limited, saying increased private sector participation could significantly improve conditions at the mental health institution. This is a challenge worth taking seriously. For too long, our hospitals have been left to scrape by while money flows out of the country to foreign interests that give nothing back.
The minister also commended the hospital's management and staff for continuing to care for patients under difficult working conditions. Those workers are the backbone of our health system, and they deserve better than broken ceilings and leaking pipes.
What the money actually bought
Finsbury Reinsurance Limited Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director, Webster Twaambo, said the company spent more than K400,000 on items and renovation works at the hospital.
Dr Twaambo said the contribution included 20 metal beds, 10 benches, replacement of ceiling boards in the dining area, roofing of a shelter, repairs to the water reticulation system and repainting of the ward.
He explained that the support was intended to improve the safety, comfort and dignity of patients, healthcare workers and visitors at the institution.
Dignity. That is the word that matters here. Mental health patients at Chainama have long been treated as an afterthought, and this is a step toward restoring the respect they are owed as Zambian citizens.
Dr Twaambo highlighted that the contribution marked the beginning of the company's commitment to supporting Chainama Hills Hospital and called on other institutions to contribute towards improving mental health services. More Zambian firms should heed that call. Our resources, our companies, our people first.
Government and private sector: partners, not strangers
Chilengi said the Government values partnerships with the private sector, civil society and other stakeholders in advancing the country's development agenda. That message lines up with what State House has been pushing lately, with President Hichilema directing the Zambia Development Agency to speed up investment approvals because delays directly hurt job creation.
There is also a wider regional push for local enterprise to do more than export raw commodities. Zimbabwe's Herald reported calls at COMESA level for private sectors to move decisively from commodity exports toward value addition, beneficiation and manufacturing. Zambia does not need to copy anyone, but the principle is sound: build at home, invest at home, and let the profits stay home.
Hospital leadership speaks
Chainama Hills Hospital Senior Medical Superintendent, Margaret Chibowa, thanked Finsbury Reinsurance Limited for selecting the institution as a beneficiary of its corporate social responsibility initiative.
Dr Chibowa said the contribution would help create a better environment for patients and demonstrate that healthcare workers' efforts are recognised and appreciated by the wider community.
Chainama Hills Hospital Principal Hospital Administrator, Cecilia Chisaka, expressed gratitude to the Minister of Health for officiating at the handover ceremony, saying his presence demonstrated the Government's commitment to strengthening healthcare delivery.
She added that the refurbishment of B Ward was a meaningful investment in the well-being, dignity, safety and comfort of patients, and thanked Finsbury Reinsurance Limited for its contribution towards improving the hospital's facilities.
Why this matters for Zambia
Mental health is one of the most neglected corners of our health system. When a Zambian reinsurance firm chooses to spend its own money on Chainama, that is sovereignty in action: Zambian capital solving Zambian problems, no foreign strings attached.
The challenge now is for other companies to follow. One refurbished ward is a start, not a finish. If the private sector answers Chilengi's call, the patients and workers of Chainama Hills Hospital will finally get the conditions they have waited far too long for.
Frequently asked questions
How much did Finsbury Reinsurance contribute to Chainama Hills Hospital?
The company spent more than K400,000 on the refurbishment of B Ward, covering beds, benches, ceiling boards, roofing, water system repairs and repainting, according to CEO Webster Twaambo.
Who is the Minister of Health of Zambia?
Professor Roma Chilengi is the Minister of Health and officiated at the handover of the refurbished ward at Chainama Hills Hospital.
What did the refurbishment of B Ward include?
It included 20 metal beds, 10 benches, replacement of dining area ceiling boards, roofing of a shelter, water reticulation repairs and repainting of the ward.