First Lady Esther Lungu in partnership with Airtel Zambia Plc have donated 135 bicycles to Safe Motherhood Action Groups (SMAGs) in a bid to enhance maternal child health initiatives.
The bicycles worth K145,000 have been donated to three health facilities in Mkushi where Mrs. Lungu officiated at this year’s National Safe Motherhood Week.
Speaking during the handover of the bicycles to Mrs. Lungu in Mkushi, Airtel’s Territory Sales Manager, Mr. Chiinga Kangwa said Airtel was committed to interventions that centered mostly on maternal and child health.
“We are delighted to have partnered with the Esther Lungu Foundation Trust (ELFT) in order to create synergies in a continued bid to compliment Government’s efforts to improve health care especially in rural settings such as where we are today in Mkushi,” Mr. Kangwa said.
And Mrs. Lungu thanked Airtel Zambia for their continued support to ELFT adding that the partnership had enabled community health workers acquire the much needed movement aids to enhance their community based maternal and child health activities.
“We are truly grateful to Airtel for their continued support as this has made it easier for the community workers to do their job,” Mrs. Lungu said.
The beneficiaries of the bicycles are community based maternal and child health workers linked to health centers who volunteer to undertake initiatives including antenatal and postnatal care in their quest to contribute towards the reduction of maternal and neonatal deaths.
So far, a total of One Hundred and Seventy-Six (176) bicycles have been purchased for distribution to community health workers committed to improving the maternal, neonatal and child health with the latest distribution having been done in Mkushi, Chalata and Chibefwe areas.
Airtel last year partnered with ELFT to support community-based maternal and child health interventions which is a key area that Airtel continues to be involved in.