Male, female patients share ward in Neno
Shortage of facilities in Malawi’s hospitals is rearing its ugly head at Magaleta Health Centre in Neno where male and female patients are forced to share a ward, Weekend Nation has established.
A visit to the health centre recently revealed that the facility has one ward catering for all patients on admission, including children and expectant women.
Malawi Health Equity Network (Mhen) executive director, Martha Kwataine, has since expressed shock and disbelief; describing the situation as a violation of patients’ dignity and right to privacy.
One of the health workers at the health facility, who asked for anonymity, said where it is not clinically justified, the health centre discourages the admitting of male and female patients to the same room.
“But we have no option here,” said the health worker, adding even hospital staff were finding it hard to provide quality care to patients admitted to mixed sex ward.
Said the health worker: “It is tricky! How, for instance, do you assist an expectant woman in that situation? How can you treat male patients with sexually transmitted infections (STIs)?”
Traditional authority (T/A) Mlauli feared the problem could undermine government efforts to promote safe motherhood as some women may prefer to stay home to protect their privacy.
He explained: “Such compromised service will surely discourage expectant women and other patients from visiting health centres. Authorities must work hard to improve the situation.”
Kwataine described the mixing of male and female patients, particularly expectant women as ‘very demeaning to women.’
She said: “Government must urgently intervene.”
Kwataine said government needs to prioritise construction of maternity wards in other health facilities across the country and provide adequate medical equipment in all village clinics.
District Health Officer (DHO) for Neno could not be reached for comment, but legislator for the area, Mary Maulidi Khembo, said she had taken up the matter with the Minister of Health Dr. Jean Kalilani.
“She simply said ‘government will look into the matter’. I was disappointed by this response. My fear is that government may take ages to rectify this problem,” said Khembo, who is Member of Parliament (MP) for Neno South.
Kalilani acknowledged receipt of the complaint from Khembo and her constituents, but said government may not be able to intervene soon.
The minister explained that government is currently giving priority to projects which stalled due to lack of financial resources.
“In fact, the situation is not only dire at Magaleta Health Centre. We are facing these challenges in many health centres due to lack of financial resources.
“In the meantime, I can only appeal to our development partners and non-governmental organisations to assist,” said Kalilani.
