Machinga communities push for opening of health post

Group village head Manja of Senior Chief Mposa in Machinga District says delayed commissioning of Mposa Health Post is affecting the communities, especially expectant women and children.

He said this on Friday during the Catholic Development Commission in Malawi (Cadecom) advocacy meeting to unearth some of the challenges communities in disaster-prone areas face.

Manja said the facility, constructed with Constituency Development Fund in 2022, is yet to be opened.

“The situation has left most villagers disconnected to healthcare and it is affecting the people’s well-being,” he said.

Enipher Kasimu, a pregnant woman, said she spends about K12 000 on transport to access healthcare at the nearest Mposa Mission Health Centre, located about eight kilometres away from their village.

She said other health facilities that surround the village include St. Luke’s Hospital and Machinjiri Health Centre, are in Zomba District.

“These long distances pose life threats to expectant women and critically ill patients as anything can happen along the way,” she said.

Machinga South legislator Grant Ndecha (United Democratic Front) acknowledged the problem, but said that the facility has no electricity and they are sourcing funds to procure solar energy equipment before opening the health post.

He also said the facility needs furniture before the medical staff can be deployed.

“There is a need also to construct healthcare workers’ houses for them to be staying closer to the facility,” he said.

Cadecom national office programme officer Aaron Kandiwo Mtaya said he is satisfied with how communities are demanding what is right for them from duty-bearers.

“There is no substitute for reliable healthcare services,” he said.

With support from Irish Aid Civil Society Support Programme through Trocaire, Cadecom is implementing the advocacy project in Balaka, Machinga and Chikwawa districts