Lusaka, Sep 27 (IANS): Zambia launched a project aimed at strengthening health systems to withstand shocks caused by natural disasters and disease outbreaks.

Supported by World Bank, Zambia Health Emergency Preparedness, Response and Resilience Project is part of a regional programme focusing on strengthening the health system resilience and multisectoral preparedness and response to health emergencies in eastern and southern Africa.

Acting Minister of Health Elias Mubanga said on Thursday that the project will target the whole country and benefit around 2,055 community health assistants, 75,000 community-based volunteers, and numerous healthcare workers at the primary healthcare level, Xinhua news agency reported.

"Zambia is highly exposed to climate change, particularly flooding, high temperature, and drought, which are becoming more frequent and severe. Aside from creating a food shortage crisis, the effects arising from the drought extend from communicable disease outbreaks to the breakdown in power supply, affecting drug supply, equipment maintenance, and life support systems, to mention just a few," he said at the launch of the project.

Mubanga said that the project will also enhance the preparedness and resilience of health systems to manage health emergencies through capacity building of the human resources at the primary health care and community levels as well as through digitalisation of the health sector.

According to him, the project also aims to improve the detection of and response to health emergencies through a multisectoral approach, adding that the focus will be on enhancing emergency management structures and processes as well as patient-centred healthcare provision.

Additionally, the project will support the procurement of 10 ambulances for primary health care services for neonatal and newborn care, along with 250 motorbike ambulances and various equipment for monitoring the growth and well-being of women and children, said Mubanga.