K53m health facility project excites people

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ommunities around Nsangwe in Senior Chief Ngabu in Chikwawa District have commended duty-bearers for launching a K53 million health centre project.

Speaking in an interview yesterday, group village head Nsangwe said people travel 10 kilometres (km) to Ngabu Rural Community Hospital or eight km to Doro Health Centre.

“People pay about K1 500 to travel to health centres. Sometimes pregnant women fail to attend antenatal services at these facilities due to lack of transport,” he said.

Nsangwe appealed to his subjects not to vandalise or steal materials at the construction site.

Ngabu Area Development Committee chairperson Isaac Magasu said the facility will serve people from Nsangwe, Konzere, Masanduko, Gonda, Nkhwangwa, Chidyamanga, Ng’ombe, Kajuni and Nyamatika villages.

“We are pleased that people from these villages will access healthcare services nearby,” he said.

Nyakamba Ward councillor Martin Goche of Malawi Congress Party (MCP) said the project was initiated by Nsangwe Village Development Committee.

He thanked Chikwawa South legislator Ilyas Abdul Karim of MCP for working with development structures to implement projects using Constituency Development Fund.

In a separate interview, the legislator said the first phase of the project will be completed in June next year.

He said the second phase will include constructing four houses for health workers.

“To achieve this, we are working with Chikwawa District Health Office [DHO] for guidance on how to implement a project which is in line with Medical Council of Malawi standards,” he said.

Chikwawa DHO spokesperson Settie Piriminta said the facility will reduce congestion at Ngabu Rural Community Hospital and Doro Health Centre.