A global consulting engineering firm is currently the programme manager, construction supervisor and environmental manager on an ambitious US$180 million health sector improvement project in Lesotho.

Aurecon was appointed by the Millennium Challenge Account Lesotho – an entity instituted by the Government of Lesotho in agreement with the Millennium Challenge Corporation – in this regard.

“The project is aimed at mitigating the negative economic impact of HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis and other diseases on the country’s economy, this programme has already literally changed the face of health service delivery in Lesotho,” says Paul Lombard, Aurecon’s general manager of development and operations for Aurecon Africa, MENA and Americas.

“The rehabilitation and renovation of Lesotho’s health care infrastructure addressed by the programme will see more than 720 000 Basotho benefit from the project over the next 20 years,” he explains futher.

“The programme means that the majority of Lesotho’s population now have access to primary health care services. Diagnostic services in the country have been improved considerably thanks to the new laboratory; there’s now increased access to tuberculosis and anti-retroviral treatments; and there is also adequate blood supply from the new blood transfusion centre. Additional housing allows nurses to live nearby health care centres and provide immediate service for acute and maternity care and an increasing number of health professionals are attending the National Health Training College thanks to the new 120 bed dormitory,” continues Lombard.

The client wanted the project team to implement a first world contractual framework and standards in a developing world environment. According to Lombard several of the challenges faced by the project team included:

• “Local contractors were appointed through Design and Build FIDIC contracts – a framework that most involved parties were completely unfamiliar with. As programme manager and supervisors, Aurecon faced huge capability gaps that needed to be overcome. Notwithstanding this, the programme’s structure has eventually been lauded by government officials in Lesotho.”
• “Aurecon managed all the design and build teams, each with their own consulting teams. What started out as a project team with four main contractors eventually multiplied to a total of 11 emerging contractors.”
• “There were 154 construction sites across the country and approximately three quarters of these sites were on mountains. Mountainous terrain, multiple river crossings and sub-standard access roads to the construction sites were among the challenges facing construction managers and contractors.
• “A client requirement was to deliver fully functional, hygienic and structurally fit for purpose facilities, all according to international standards. Many of the existing facilities, however, were completely run-down, without access to water and electricity. Some of the specific requirements included applying green, energy-saving technology; the new laboratory needed to meet World Health Organisation standards in terms of Biosafety Level 3 in order to improve the infection control of the TB laboratory; and both HIV/AIDS and TB services needed to be integrated within the health centres.”