NRB to start issuing birth certificates

The National Registration Bureau (NRB) is soon expected to start issuing birth certificates to all newly born babies in Blantyre, Chitipa and Ntcheu.

NRB public relations officer Norman Fulatira said the exercise, which is all encompassing and compulsory, will be done in district hospitals.

“We will start with Blantyre, Chitipa and Ntcheu which have a special funding. These three district hospitals have been connected to the central database such that whenever a child is born and the necessary information entered into the system, the data will reach us immediately since they are connected to our offices,” explained Fulatira.

According to Fulatira, NRB will be distributing the birth certificates to their respective villages or alternatively, parents would be collecting them from their respective district commissioners’ offices.

However, Fulatira could not disclose how much is involved, arguing the bureau is still quantifying the support it is getting form stakeholders.

NRB commenced the national registration exercise in 2007.—Mana