A HEALTHY nation, as the old saying goes, is a prerequisite for enhanced development both in the social and economic sectors. On the other hand, a nation of ailing citizens provides a breeding ground for sustained hunger and poverty, which sets the pace for vices to flourish much to the detriment of the nation as a whole.

This nation as the situation stands today has made notable strides of growth in all the sectors in a short 10 years and much of this can be attributed to a large extent to the effort that the Government has committed to the health care delivery system.

Recently, the commissioning of the Cancer Centre at the University Teaching Hospital (UTH) in Lusaka and many other smaller health centres dotted around Zambia are just one way to show that there is genuine commitment by the Government to deliver quality health services.

That is not to say everything has been smooth-sailing in the sector. A lot still needs to be done, especially in the area of enticing qualified and experienced doctors and nurses to the rural areas through schemes that are attractive and to ensure that the enormous resources poured into the sector for the procurement of drugs and equipment from both the Government and the donor community reach the grassroots in time.

In fact, it is not surprising to receive reports from the hinterland about how office orderlies and sometimes even cleaners have taken the responsibility of administering some health facilities to the patients in the absence of qualified medical personnel.

In the process, many people have lost their lives unnecessarily due to the concentration of well-trained medical people in urban centers.

However, it is also a welcome development that the Government will fast-track the building of five major district hospitals in Chongwe, Chiengi and other areas to improve access to quality health facilities by the rural population.

In the same vein, the Government should work to quickly revise some the conditions of service and salaries for medical personnel to motivate them to work in rural areas.

Schemes like the car loan and housing loan facilities are some of the incentives that can be passed on to other health workers who are also viewed as critical Government officers.

As the nation soldiers on to meet the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), it is imperative to view the health sector as being critical.