City health centre gets Sh9.4bn maternity ward
Korea International Cooperation Agency president Mi-Kyung Lee cuts the ribbon to officially open the Sh9.4 billion Korea-Tanzania Friendship Maternity Hospital in Chanika, Dar es Salaam, as Dar es Salaam Regional Commissioner Paul Makonda (on Ms Lee’s left) looks on Thursday. Others (from far left) are Ilala Municipal Medical Officer Victoria Ludovic, Chanika Ward Councillor Ojambi Masaburi, CCM Dar es Salaam regional chairperson Kate Kamba, Korean ambassador to Tanzania Song-Geum Young and CCM regional secretary Saad Kusilawe. Story on Page 2. PHOTO | CORRESPONDENT
What you need to know:
Chanika Health Centre is now on the verge of becoming a fully-fledged hospital following the opening of the Korea-Tanzania Friendship Maternity Hospital, the Dar es Salaam regional medical officer, Dr Grace Maghembe, said.
Dar es Salaam. Dar es Salaam Regional Commissioner Paul Makonda on Thursday officiated at the official opening of a Sh9.4 billion maternity hospital in Ilala District.
Chanika Health Centre is now on the verge of becoming a fully-fledged hospital following the opening of the Korea-Tanzania Friendship Maternity Hospital, the Dar es Salaam regional medical officer, Dr Grace Maghembe, said.
The 160-bed facility was built through a grant from the Korea International Cooperation Agency (Koica), and is expected to ease pressure on Amana Regional Hospital, which is also located in Ilala District.
Others present at the event included Koica president Mi-Kyung Lee and Korean ambassador to Tanzania Song-Geum Young.
Speaking during the occasion, Mr Makonda hit back at ministers and other prominent figures who have criticised his campaign against “irresponsible parents”.
“Although they say that I’m disregarding the privacy of those involved and raising legal controversies, I really don’t care…I’m ready to be jailed for defending the rights of children,” he said. Mr Makonda charged that some of those opposed to his campaign had walked out on their children.
“If you want privacy, take care of your children,” he said.
Mr Makonda earlier this month invited to his office for legal assistance women who were embroiled in disputes with their partners over the upkeep of children.
Since then, thousands of women – and some men – have flocked to Mr Makonda’s office, but the exercise has not gone down well with some ministers, who have publicly criticised the manner in which it is being conducted.
On Wednesday, the Minister of Constitutional and Legal Affairs, Prof Palamagamba Kabudi, criticised Mr Makonda’s campaign on “deserted children”.
Requesting the House to endorse his ministry’s budget estimates for the 2018/19 financial year, Prof Kabudi said although the campaign was aimed at tackling a chronic social problem, it was in breach of family privacy and raised legal questions.
The minister advised that such campaigns should not be entertained in the future.
He remarks came after Ulanga MP Goodluck Mlinga (CCM) questioned the legality of Mr Makonda’s initiative.
