Open health facilities, people demand

Community members in Traditional Authority Mzukuzuku in Mzimba District have asked the M’Mbelwa District Council to commission two health facilities in the area.

The facilities are Mtuzuzu Health Post and Vibangalala Health Post maternity wing whose construction was completed in 2023 under the Governance to Enable Service Delivery (Gesd).

In an interview on Tuesday, community member Emmanuel Nkuna from Andrea Village said they travel about 10 kilometres to access health services at Kalikumbi Health Centre.

He said: “We only have an under-five clinic that treats children only. So, the construction of Mtuzuzu Health Post gave us hope that adults will be able to access medical services nearby.

“We appeal to M’Mbelwa District Council to ensure they commission the new facility.”

Another community member, Josephine Tembo from Vakaza Village, said pregnant women face many challenges to go to other health facilities such as Mabiri Health Post or Embangweni Mission Hospital for antenatal services.

But speaking on Monday during a review meeting of Gesd projects, M’Mbelwa District Council director of planning and development Walter Chikuni said they plan to open the facilities this year.

“Gesd funding is in and we are about to start buying materials for the facilities we built such as health posts, police offices and school blocks. We will buy beds, mattresses and other materials for the facilities to be operational,” he said.

M’Mbelwa District Council director of public works Allan Chitete said Mtuzuzu Health Post cost K77 million while Vibangalala Health Post maternity wing cost K56 million.