Maternity wing needs K30 million to operate
Mulanje District Council needs about K30 million to stock Ndanga Maternity Wing with medical supplies and equipment to become operational almost a year after completion of its construction, The Nation has learnt.
By August 2022, the facility in Traditional Authority (T/A) Ndanga was completed to the tune of K72 million under the World Bank-funded Governance to Enable Service Delivery project facilitated by the National Local Government Finance Committee.
But in an interview on Monday, the council’s director of planning and development Morson Magombo said the devaluation of the kwacha in 2023 foiled their plans to operationalise the facility after construction.
He said: “Our money fell short and we needed an additional K30 million to procure the supplies and equipment. About K21 million has been raised.
“We expect to get the balance and finalise everything by the end of August 2024 so that people can start getting healthcare services.”
In a separate interview, T/A Ndanga said his subjects were struggling to access healthcare services.
He said: “Expectant mothers travel close to 50 kilometres to Ngwelero Health Centre in Zomba District, Phalombe or Milepa in Chiradzulu.
“We happen to lose lives to preventable deaths because of long distances.”
The traditional leader has called on the council and well-wishers to support his subjects’ right to access universal health coverage as soon as possible.
Once operationalised, the only health facility in the area is expected to provide maternal and under-five clinic services to over 2 000 households in five villages.
