The Zambia Flying Doctor Service (ZFDS) continues to revolutionize healthcare delivery in Zambia’s remote regions, with a standout success story being the remarkable turnaround of the former Mwata Kazembe Hospital—now renamed Ng’anga Bilonda Hospital—in Mwansabombwe.
In April 2024, the Ministry of Health entrusted ZFDS with full management responsibility of the hospital, marking a strategic move to bring essential healthcare services closer to families in hard-to-reach areas. Although the handover officially took place in October 2024, only a handful of departments—maternity, laboratory, theatre, and neonatal—were functional at the time. Since then, ZFDS has worked tirelessly to fully operationalize the 80-bed facility, which is now equipped with modern medical technology and is awaiting formal commissioning by the Republican President.
The renaming of the hospital followed consultations with traditional leaders and government officials. It now bears the name Ng’anga Bilonda Hospital in honour of the first Mwata Kazembe, reflecting a deep respect for local heritage while positioning the hospital as a beacon of modern healthcare.
Aligned with its mission to provide cost-effective, quality healthcare to underserved communities, ZFDS has significantly expanded hospital services. Beyond its initial departments, Ng’anga Bilonda Hospital now offers comprehensive dental, eye care, ophthalmology, outpatient services, emergency surgical and medical admissions, as well as intensive care—services previously inaccessible to many residents of Mwansabombwe and surrounding districts.
A major highlight is the hospital’s designation as a specialist surgical camp site serving Luapula and Muchinga provinces. Leveraging both air transport and mobile surgical trucks, ZFDS periodically organizes surgical camps by airlifting patients and specialist doctors to the hospital. This innovative approach brings advanced surgical care closer to rural populations, significantly reducing the need for costly and time-consuming referrals outside the district.
The recently inaugurated hospital helipad further strengthens emergency response capabilities, facilitating rapid patient transfers and specialist interventions. Since the program’s inception, six surgical camps have been held, treating over 2,480 patients and performing 204 surgical procedures across multiple disciplines. These include obstetrics and gynaecology, general surgery, ophthalmology—including cataract operations—internal medicine, and complex surgical cases. Specialists from leading institutions such as the University Teaching Hospital and Ndola Teaching Hospital support these efforts, enhancing local capacity and promoting skills transfer among healthcare workers.
Moreover, ZFDS provides free primary healthcare services to the communities of Mwansabombwe and its environs. Targeted obstetric interventions have contributed to a notable decline in maternal deaths and referral rates, underscoring the program’s positive impact on maternal and child health outcomes.
Through the revitalization of Ng’anga Bilonda Hospital and the expansion of its services, the Zambia Flying Doctor Service exemplifies the Ministry of Health’s commitment to delivering accessible, efficient, and high-quality healthcare to all Zambians, regardless of location.
As this model continues to grow, it promises to serve as a blueprint for improving healthcare delivery in other underserved parts of the country, ensuring that no one is left behind in accessing vital medical services.