Under the scorching afternoon sun of Monkey Bay in Mangochi, a new male ward is rising from the ground.
For people in the populous community along Lake Malawi, it is a dream come true—a cry for dignity, privacy and progress.
Mangochi District Council is constructing Monkey Bay Community Hospital’s male ward with funding from the World Bank through performance-based Governance to Enable Service Delivery (Gesd) project.
Construction is almost complete.
Currently, men are housed in a temporary shelter after years of sharing a general ward with women.
For decades, the hospital’s sole adult ward housed both male and female patients, thinly separated by a curtain.
“The overcrowded ward was dehumanising for patients and caregivers,” says Rose Chitedze, 52, from Nankhwali Beach Village. “I felt sorry and uncomfortable when my husband shared the room with women. He couldn’t speak freely.”
She recalls seeing half-naked patients and others crying in pain.
“Everyone heard what they were suffering from,” she says. “There was nothing to hide.”
Locals say the situation discouraged some men from seeking healthcare.
Nelson Paulo, 41, from Namakoma Village, once spent a week in the ward for both sexes.
“A woman gave birth right next to me while I was recovering from surgery. There was no privacy or dignity,” he states.
Clinical officer Mwenecho Nyirongo says healthcare authorities could not do much about the long-standing complaints due to limited infrastructure.
He states: “The male ward will restore patient’s dignity, reduce infections and improve recovery.
“Once completed, the ward will separate men from women. That is what a functioning health system should offer.”
Gesd has also funded construction of a science laboratory, library and two staff houses at Mchema Community Day Secondary School (CDSS) in Traditional Authority (T/A) Namkumba.
Form Two student Chisomo Wilson, 15, describes the investment as life-changing.
“We have been learning about gas burners, test tubes and acids, but have never seen them. Now we will be able to touch them and truly understand the marvels of science,” she says.
Chisomo says lack of laboratory-based practical sessions threatened her dream of becoming a nurse.
“Science is hard without practice. The lab will help us catch up with learners from better-equipped schools,” she says.
Her classmate Rasheed Nanthambwe hopes the staff houses will lure teachers to the rural school.
“Many teachers shun our school because the few we have walk long distances to get to class. During the rainy season, some don’t come at all,” he says.
Like many CDSSs, Mchema has long struggled with lack of basic resources for quality teaching and learning.
Mangochi District Council has also constructed an office, a kitchen and four staff houses at T/A Lulanga extension planning area to enhance agricultural production and productivity.
For local farmers like Hassan Usi who relies on rain-fed maize and rice, this means easy access to modern farming tips.
“Extension workers usually come maybe once every two months because they live far,” he says.
The K336 million facilities under construction will bring officers closer to the communities they serve.
“We expect more training, better crop yields and maybe even help finding better markets,” Usi says.
Mangochi District Council economist Blessings Sitovu adds: “We are not just building an EPA, [extension planning area] but food security.
“Lulanga has huge agricultural potential, but we must unlock it by bringing knowledge to the grassroots.”
Sitovu says the K317 million male ward at Monkey Bay Community Hospital was conceived to promote patients’ dignity and privacy.
“All projects are at an advanced stage and we hope to hand them over to the communities soon,” he states.
Gesd’s performance-based financing model rewards councils based on planning, transparency, community engagement and service delivery.
Star performers receive higher funding for priority projects.
For underserved communities, the public infrastructure taking shape symbolise long-awaited inclusion and hope.
A male ward under construction at Monkey Bay Hospital. | Ayamba Kandodo
Chitedze: It was dehumanising.
| Ayamba Kandodo
Nyirongo: The new ward will restore patient’s dignity. | Ayamba Kandodo
