The Minister of Health and Social Services says the Zambezi Region has faced daunting challenges in terms of health facilities, especially referrals of patients more than 500 kilometres away for specialised medical care.

Dr. Experance Luvindao reiterated the Ministry's commitment to upgrade the Katima Mulilo District Hospital to an intermediate hospital, and the inauguration of the intensive care unit is the beginning.

The minister stressed that there must be commitments from all stakeholders to take care of the ICU, including nurses, doctors, health officials, and the region at large.

Luvindao noted that the ICU, specialists, medications, and all standards must be the same throughout the country.

The health minister was speaking on Thursday at Katima Mulilo in the Zambezi Region when she inaugurated the Intensive Care Unit there.

Katima Mulilo Urban Constituency Councillor Kennedy Simasiku represented the governor at the ICU inauguration.