By Neo Kolane
The health and safety of employees and community continue to be a priority for the Lesotho Highlands Water Project (LHWP) even after the commencement of the construction of the multibillion Maloti project of the Polihali Dam.
The construction of the dam started after the award of the contracts by Lesotho Highlands Development Authority (LHDA) which amount to M7.68 billion.
The successful Polihali Dam bidder is the SUN Joint Venture, comprising main partners Sinohydro Bureau and Sinohydro Bureau 14 from China, Unik Civil Engineering from South Africa and Nthane Brothers from Lesotho.
LHDA says it has learned a lot from the Phase I project in terms of not having a public health team to oversee the health component due to the absence of a public health policy, HIV prevention, immunization and outreach services provided.
Also, it was realized that there was no well-structured recruitment for health practitioners in order to assist in ensuring good health and safety measures during the implementation of the project.
In this regard, the public health worker of LHDA Makaba Kampong said the authority undertook a health impact assessment exercise aimed at identifying how Phase II of the water project would best address health related issues.
She further explained that LHDA conducted a relevant research before operations started and midway between the construction of the dam and the start of the services, another research will be carried out.
“We had discussions with the ministry of health’s senior management and its department officers, hospital management teams, community and urban councils and village health workers to get comprehensive inputs on the potential health impacts of the Polihali project on the population along the eastern and western side catchment areas.
“We inspected health centres in Mokhotlong, Thaba-Tseka and Leribe districts. They are Seshote health centre, Libibing health centre, St James health centre and Mapholaneng and assessed the outreach programme for each health facility,” Kampong said.
The branch manager of Polihali Gerard Mokone said LHDA committed that it will buy equipment for emergency services, especially for maternity, casualty and theatre rooms for Mokhotlong government hospital.
Mokone added that LHDA will also extend the Mokhotlong laboratory as it was overwhelmed with services. while Mamohau Hospital will receive emergency equipment from LHDA.
“For village health workers, LHDA will train them from the facilities that are within the project areas of Thaba-Tseka, Leribe and Mokhotlong districts for the first two years of project implementation.
“The training will be fully funded by LHDA,” Mokone revealed.
A panel of environment experts reported that there was no public health team to oversee the health activities and no public health policy then.
The report also said the recruitment did not involve the ministry of health.
It further states that special health facilities took care of the employees only.
“Phase I health facilities and equipment were not well transferred to the ministry of health, and the government planning and budgeting processes were not considered.
“The government was not ready to take former LHDA employees as its employees and there was no clear exit strategy,” the report from the panel environmental experts revealed.
Completion of the Polihali Dam is scheduled for 2028.
