Mother’s Fun Run (MFR) guest of honour Norah Nsanja yesterday shared a moving experience of giving birth at this year’s event in Chikwawa District to highlight the need to enhance safe motherhood.
Her speech resonated with many as she stressed the critical challenges mothers face not only in the district, but the entire country.
Nsanja, who is Standard Bank head of legal and governance, spoke during the handover of medical equipment and supplies valued at over K382 million to health facilities under the Chikwawa District Health Office (DHO).
Remarked Nsanja: “MFR evokes deeply personal memories of my own childbirth experience. I spent several days in the high-dependency unit with my newborn, struggling but fortunate to have access to the necessary medical care.
Rodrigues makes a gift presentation to
a mother at Chikwawa District Hospital
kangaroo ward
“However, many mothers in Chikwawa are not as fortunate. The health facilities here face an acute shortage of basic medical equipment and supplies and I deeply
empathise with their struggles.”
In her remarks, Nation Publications Limited (NPL) and MFR patron, Mbumba Banda, underscored these concerns by recounting the tragic story of Stella Sambanyoza, a mother from Kajawo Village in Chikwawa.
Sambanyoza experienced uterine rupture while in labour at Gaga Health Centre.
Due to the facility’s lack of basic equipment, healthcare workers were unable to provide the required assistance, leading to a frantic call for an ambulance from the DHO.
Banda explained: “The ambulance took several hours to arrive, and instead of taking her to Chikwawa District Hospital, she was transferred to Mwanza District Hospital, which was closer.
“Unfortunately, her condition deteriorated and she was further referred to Queen Elizabeth Central Hospital in Blantyre. Regrettably, both she and her baby did not survive.”
She said such tragic incidents are not isolated, but rather common occurrences across Chikwawa and other parts of the country.
She called on NPL’s partners to continue their support of the MFR initiative.
Speaking on behalf of this year’s MFR Sleepover Challenge participants, Malawi University of Business and Applied Sciences Vice-Chancellor Dr. Nancy Chitera also shared her first-hand experience at Majete 2 Health Centre.
She recalled: “I initially thought the health centre was nearby, but the journey proved to be far longer and more challenging than anticipated.
“Upon arrival, we found the facility without power and there was no backup. Despite these conditions, babies were born during our stay.
“We witnessed how healthcare workers had to operate with minimal equipment. These midwife nurses are performing incredible work under dire circumstances.”
Chitera called on MFR partners to ensure that every health centre in Chikwawa District has reliable power backups to support medical equipment.
“These healthcare workers need the tools to carry out their duties effectively,” she emphasised.
Chikwawa director of health and social services Dr. Grace Momba confirmed that the shortage of medical equipment was a major challenge affecting all health facilities in the district.
“Medical equipment and supplies remain a critical issue in Chikwawa,” she stated.
NPL and its partners surpassed this year’s MFR fundraising target of K300 million by donating equipment and supplies worth over K382 million.
NPL board member Masankho Banda and Chikwawa district commissioner Nardine Kamba received medical equipment from various MFR strategic partners on behalf of Chikwawa District Hospital and its satellite health facilities.
Kamba expressed his gratitude and pledged that the equipment would be put to good use.
“We are deeply grateful for this generous donation. We will ensure the equipment is properly used. I urge the Chikwawa District Health Office to prioritise the maintenance of this equipment so that it remains in good working condition for as long as possible,” he said.
World Vision, Standard Bank, Press Trust, UNFPA, the Malawi Gaming and Lotteries Authority and several other partners have pledged their continued support to MFR.
In response, Momba expressed her appreciation for the donation, noting that it will significantly improve maternal and neonatal healthcare in Chikwawa.
“This medical equipment will help us reduce the high maternal and neonatal mortality rates in the district,” she said.
At the time of the donation, Chikwawa had a maternal mortality rate of 72 per 100 000 live births and a neonatal mortality rate of eight per 1 000 live births.
The event, attended by MFR partners, traditional and religious leaders and Ministry of Health officials, began with a 3.5km fun run from Zonse Villa to Chikwawa Boma community ground.
The typically harsh Chikwawa weather was unexpectedly mild, creating a conducive atmosphere for the runners.
After the fun run, MFR partners visited Chikwawa District Hospital, where they toured the high-dependency unit, theatre, post-natal ward and kangaroo care unit to appreciate the working environment of health workers.
MFR is a NPL safe motherhood initiative that raises funds towards the purchase of medical equipment and supplies for maternity wings of the country’s health facilities
