Traditionally, hospitals are places where the public hopes to get assisted and healed. For this to be achieved, a combination of factors, including resources such as human capital, equipment and utilities like water and electricity are a must.
But for people around Chintheche Trading Centre in Nkhata Bay, it is a nightmare for them to get treatment for their various ailments as Chintheche Rural Hospital, the second biggest in the district, has had electricity disconnected for at least 12 days by yesterday.
Worse still, there is no running water from the Northern Region Water Board after supply was disconnected over a month ago, forcing the facility to rely on groundwater from a borehole.
In the maternity wing, besides healthcare workers helping expectant mothers deliver without electricity at night, those who deliver have to bear with sleeping on the floor with their babies due to inadequate beds.
On Tuesday evening, Nation Publications Limited through its flagship corporate social responsibility project Mother’s Fun Run aimed at promoting safe motherhood had a sleep-over at the facility led by gender specialist Bertha Chiudza.
That night, one baby was born and nurses struggled to help 18-year-old Diana Banda deliver her first child in the dark with only torches as a source of light. They said the situation repeats itself every evening.
In an interview, the new mother lamented: “I don’t think it is proper that we have to be subjected to these conditions. What if something happens during delivery and doctors need electricity to save someone? What if one requires a Caesarian section at the eleventh hour?”
The hospital’s deputy in-charge for the Labour Ward Maria Gondwe narrated how difficult it becomes in such circumstances.
She said: “What else can we do without electricity? We have a small solar [power source], but it doesn’t provide that much- needed light.”
In a separate interview, hospital in-charge Gryson Kumwenda admitted the challenges, but blamed the situation on lack of funding.
He said: “Our funding comes from the district facility. We wait for them to help us and that is why we have these challenges.
“On water, we resorted to using the ground water until the situation normalises, it’s been over a month now.”
Without electricity, the facility cannot use its mortuary as well as the nursery where it has incubators. The sterilising machine is also rendered useless in the absence of electricity.
“Things like scissors are simply cleaned, but cannot be sterilised, meaning some of the equipment will just be staying without being used,” said Kumwenda.
Another 18-year-old, but expectant mother, Chisomo Chirwa from Kande, decried that they are also not given meals.
“With the hunger situation, it is difficult to get food. Yet as we struggle, doctors want us to go buy medicine on our own. How can we manage that if we can’t even buy usipa?” She wondered.
The situation gets worse when one visits the facility’s toilets for postnatal mothers and outpatients which stink and are dirty. They appear not to have been cleaned for a long time and houseflies are all over.
Melifayi Muhone, 52, a guardian to her sister’s daughter, wondered how authorities at the facility could stand the situation.
When told about the situation, Parliamentary Committee on Health chairperson Mathews Ngwale questioned management of resources at the council.
He said legislators fought for write-off of debts which all health facilities had with utility providers and installation of pre-paid meters, wondering how health offices prioritise resources for a rural population to be starved.
Health rights advocate Maziko Matemba described the situation at Chintheche as worrisome.
But Nkhata Bay District Health spokesperson Christopher Singini, while admitting the challenges, said it was beyond their control.
In an interview yesterday, he said: “On water, the cheque has been cleared and water should be restored today [Wednesday]. On the electricity issue, it’s not unique to Chintheche, most of our health centres are affected.”
Ministry of Health officials, including Minister Khumbize Kandodo Chiponda did not pick our calls on several attempts.
