The Zambia Flying Doctor Service (ZFDS) medical outreach team successfully launched its Kaputa mission on December 2nd, 2025, despite vehicle breakdowns and treacherous roads, demonstrating unwavering commitment to remote communities.

Traveling to Kaputa by road, the ZFDS team faced a difficult journey, experiencing two vehicle breakdowns due to the poor state of the roads.

This challenge highlights the harsh realities of accessing remote areas.However, the team received crucial assistance from the Kaputa District Health Office (DHO).

The team paid courtesy calls on key district leaders, meeting with Chief Kaputa, the Kaputa DHO, and the District Commissioner (DC), Mr. Cosmas Mwaya.

DC Mwaya expressed sincere appreciation for the visit and acknowledged the long-standing partnership.

He provided encouraging news, confirming that works on the Kaputa airstrip are progressing well.

"The district looks forward to welcoming ZFDS aircraft once the facility is ready, a development that will dramatically improve emergency medical access and enable ZFDS aircraft operations.," he said.

The outreach immediately began clinical services at Kalaba Rural Health Centre (RHC), providing comprehensive screenings of patients and dispensing drugs.

The Ophthalmological team was highly active, screening 87 people, diagnosing 5 cataracts and 11 presbyopia cases, and dispensing 11 pairs of reading spectacles.

The Laboratory team conducted 43 tests on 25 patients. Among the key findings were 13 positive malaria cases detected through rapid tests. This rapid diagnostic work is crucial for immediate patient management and containing disease spread.

The successful execution of the first day's mission, despite the travel challenges, reaffirms ZFDS's vital mission: bringing quality healthcare to Zambia's most underserved communities.