Ministry of Health has urged mother care groups (MCG) in Mchinji District to go beyond lobbying communities and mobilise under-five children for immunisation.
Speaking on Tuesday in Traditional Authority Zulu, the ministry’s Expanded Programme on Immunisation programmes manager Mike Chisema said the women can also generate income using the structures they constructed.
He said: “They can install solar panels and charge phones or let people tap electricity from the structures.
“They can also let them out for public events such as weddings. We are also in a period of political party meetings. So, make use of these structures to make money.”
Chisema further said the women can use the money to pay fees for their children and cater for transportation to access better medical help when referred to distant hospitals.
On health, however, he commended the volunteers for enhancing immunisation among under-five children in the area.
“The MCG intervention is a people centred model that is helping government achieve universal healthcare coverage,” said Chisema.
Chitinthi Dzizwa MCG vice-chairperson Blandina Zawanda appealed to the ministry to provide refrigeration equipment at their vaccination facility.
“We believe that the refrigeration equipment will help keep the vaccines safe and help us reduce the distance that we travel to access the same at Guillime Mission Hospital, 18 kilometres away,” she said.
On the advice to utilize the facility to generate money, Zawanda said they will discuss to find a way forward.
Malawi Health Equity Network (Mhen) is working with the Ministry of Health to expand immunisation efforts through MCGs in eight districts in the country to improve immunisation.
The project is running with support from the Global Fund.
