Chipata Central Hospital needs about 300 nurses for it to operate well in its current status as a central health facility.
Hospital Medical Superintendent, Daniel Makawa told Breeze News that the hospital is currently operating with only 138 nurses.
Dr. Makawa says he is hopeful that government will send more nurses to the hospital during the on-going deployment exercise.
And Dr. Makawa says plans are underway to rehabilitate the mothers and relatives shelters at the hospital next year.
He says he is aware of the deplorable state in which the two shelters are in, but the Ministry of Health has to first complete the construction of health posts before rehabilitating the two shelters whose works have been included in the 2017 Budget.
Dr. Makawa says the rehabilitation of the mothers and relatives shelters at the hospital will be done under PPP, Public Private Partnership, adding that a named Bank has already committed itself to work with government in improving the facility.