Communities from Kameraphande Village in Traditional Authority (T/A) Mwenewenya in Chitipa District have said the health post constructed by World Vision Malawi has improved access to quality health services in the area.
Currently, the facility is offering under-five healthcare services, bringing much needed relief to families who previously walked about eight kilometres to Wenya Health Centre for such services.
Community member Ruth Kafunda said expectant women and mothers struggled to access healthcare services from Wenya Health Centre due to long distances.
She said: “We used to travel long distances to access healthcare services and many pregnant women missed antenatal sessions.
“However, with the opening of this health post, we will be able to access healthcare services closer to home.”
Group village head Kanyethe expressed gratitude to World Vision Malawi for the initiative, noting that the facility will guarantee improved access to quality health services.
“We were suffering. Many pregnant women avoided hospitals due to accessibility challenges and children could not access under-five services, leading to early deaths because of limited healthcare,” he said.
Health surveillance assistant Jessie Silavwe said there has been an increase in attendance during under-five clinics since the facility started offering services late last year.
She said once fully operational, the health post is expected to benefit at least 364 households in the catchment area.
“We request the organisation to construct houses for health workers to live close to the facility,” she said.
World Vision Chitipa district programmes manager Hendrix Kalanje said the establishment of the health post aligns with national priorities to strengthen primary healthcare delivery and improve access to essential services for rural communities.
The country’s long-term development strategy, Malawi 2063 emphasises the development of a resilient and self-reliant health system, with a strong focus on achieving universal health coverage by 2030 through the implementation of the Health Sector Strategic Plan III.
