People in Chitipa District have expressed satisfaction with the impact of mother care groups on the uptake of immunisation among under-five children.
In an interview on Saturday, Chinthi Mother Care Group vice-secretary Justina Ndolo from Mtende Village in Traditional Authority (T/A) Nthalire said Malawi Health Equity Network (Mhen) established and empowered the groups to improve immunisation uptake and healthcare services.
She said Mhen also trained the group in advocacy and that they lobbied for the construction of a borehole to improve access to water.
“We also facilitated the construction of a house for a health surveillance assistant,” said Ndolo.
On her part, Mubanga Mother Care Group chairperson Molidi Simbeye from T/A Nthalire said the advocacy training helped them to sensitise communities to seek medical care from hospitals.
“Women are now taking their children to health facilities for vaccination. Most women used to shun healthcare services, opting for traditional healers. After the sensitisation, however, most women take their children to hospitals,” she said.
Simbeye said her group facilitated for the construction of a house for a community nurse.
Group village head George II of T/A Mwabulambya said the establishment of the groups has helped his area to have a clinic where mothers are accessing immunisation for their children.
Mhen project assistant Mphatso Kamangira commended the volunteers for working hard to ensure that the community access healthcare services at their doorstep.
The organisation established 30 mother care groups in 2019 and 2021 in the district
