In 2012, CampbellReith was invited to provide pricing for civil and structural design services for six 120-bed district hospitals in Ghana on behalf of a then relatively unknown UK-based infrastructure developer, NMS Infrastructure. This engagement initiated several years of productive collaboration with a new client, fostering significant professional growth across the project team and resulting in some of the most compelling and rewarding projects for members of the CampbellReith team.
In 2018, supported by lead partner Mike Allen, NMS Infrastructure secured a contract to construct five 80-bed hospitals and 111 20-bed mini-hospitals throughout Zambia. Both contracts have since been completed, significantly improving healthcare delivery in both Ghana and Zambia, particularly through enhanced maternity care available to communities across these nations.
CampbellReith is honoured to have played an integral part in the successful execution of these projects. Notably, for Mike Allen, the completion and impact of the Zambia initiative holds particular significance, having spent his formative years and part of his early career in Zambia. Opportunities to observe first-hand the social and economic benefits of engineering projects are rare, and the positive daily effects of these healthcare facilities throughout Zambia are evident.
Recently, we accompanied Mike Allen during one of his visits to Zambia, where we visited the completed Chiawa mini-hospital bordering the Lower Zambezi National Park. During our tour of the operational facility, the head doctor highlighted that, in addition to improved maternity services, a large majority of patients treated at the hospital are critical cases arising from elephant-related injuries. Without this facility, such patients would otherwise face a painful and potentially life-threatening journey of over 40 kilometres to reach the nearest hospital.
As engineers, we aspire to improve the environments and quality of life of those around us, solving often complex engineering issues and creating sustainable and resilient infrastructure. Being able to visit and experience the impact that these projects have had on the local communities and the environment has been inspiring.