NGO moves to address safe motherhood woes

Mzimba women will soon enjoy quality maternal health care following White Ribbon Alliance for Safe Motherhood Malawi (Wrasm-Malawi) efforts to improve midwifery care in public hospitals.

Speaking during an awareness meeting at Enukweni in Mzimba on Tuesday, Wrasm-Malawi national coordinator Nancy Kamwendo said they have lined up awareness activities and training sessions to sensitise the two parties to their human rights and responsibilities.

“We envision a world where all women are safe and healthy before, during and after child birth.  We want to ensure that all women have access to quality midwifery care,” said Kamwendo .

She said some women prefer to deliver at home or opt for traditional birth attendants (TBAs) because of midwives’ bad attitude towards patients, which is worsened by limited resources.

Nurse-midwife technician at Enukweni Health Centre, Beatrice Chikudzu, who says she sees 300 patients and handles about six deliveries each day, said she works with limited resources.

“We have been operating without water since last August. In addition, we lack resources such as brooms and slashers to keep the hospital clean and tidy. This is excluding other needs in wards,” she said.

Mzimba North deputy safe motherhood coordinator Rutie Kayira defended the midwives’ attitude, saying not all of them have a negative attitude towards work.

According to the 2015-16 Malawi Demographic and Health Survey (MDHS) scheduled for release early next year, nine in 10 women (91 percent) deliver in a health facility. This is an improvement from 73 percent in 2010. n