Nkhotakota District Hospital rationing water
Nkhotakota District Hospital is rationing water following a shortage that has hit the facility, a development guardians say is negatively affecting their stay.
The water problem has hit the maternity ward, the paediatric section, toilets as well as the laundry section.
The hospital spokesperson Justice Malunga in an interview attributed the water shortages to power outages.
Ironically, sources at the hospital said the problem has emerged since Central Region Water Board replaced the hospital’s metre with a pre-paid one following the facility’s failure to settle water bills in time.
But Malunga said the medical facility is rationing water in some sections of the hospital; hence, shutdown of taps in the affected areas.
He said: “The problem is intermittent power supply. So, we have taken measures to save water by opening and closing taps at intervals.”
This was revealed when Friends of Nkhotakota, Zomba Chapter, cheered the sick at the hospital on Saturday where they donated blankets and other assorted items worth K450 000.
On this day, guardians, including pregnant women were seen fetching water from a tap in front of the hospital’s administration block.
Speaking about the donation, Malunga commended the group, saying it would alleviate some of the problems patients face. He also encouraged other well-wishers to emulate the gesture.
In a separate interview, Friends of Nkhotakota chairperson, Charles Mkonkholo, said they donated the items after learning that patients at the hospital need help.
The hospital serves a population of about 400 000. n
