Government hails UNC safe motherhood project
Government has commended University of North Carolina (UNC) for $8 million (about K5.8 billion) safe motherhood project that included infrastructure construction and capacity building for midwives.
Director of clinical services in the Ministry of Health George Chithope-Mwale, who was the guest of honour during the dissemination meeting in Lilongwe, said UNC has proved to be a true partner of government in efforts to reduce maternal mortality rate.
The four- year Safe Motherhood Initiative has seen, among others, the construction of two modern maternal waiting homes, family planning rooms, maternity and delivery wards at Area 25 Health Centre and at Kasungu District Hospital.
The project also supported the training of nurses and midwives.
Said Chithope-Mwale: “We cannot reduce maternal mortality rate with inadequate infrastructure for both patient care and accommodation of staff, especially in rural areas where there are no houses for rent.”
He said government’s responsibility is to ensure that graduate from medical training colleges are recruited in a timely manner and deployed to areas where they are needed most.
UNC country director Innocent Mofolo said the project was financed by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.
He said: “The aim was to reduce maternal and neonatal morbidity and mortality in Malawi by strengthening the Presidential Initiative on Maternal Health and Safe Motherhood.”
