A Community-Led Monitoring Project implemented by Lilongwe Archidiocese Health Commission in Traditional Authority Kazyozyo in Mchinji District has exposed gaps in the delivery of healthcare services in the area.
This came to light on Friday during a consultative group review meeting in the district. The meeting reviewed findings from the past six months at Kazyozyo Health Centre.
Speaking during the meeting, the commission’s monitoring and evaluation officer Limbani Sichinga highlighted persistent challenges in monitoring diseases such as malaria, tuberculosis and HIV and Aids as well as gaps in emergency preparedness.
She cited low community awareness and poor engagement in identifying and improving service delivery.
Sichinga also noted that weak collaboration among community structures continued to hinder effective health responses.
She said: “There is lack of proper tracking of malaria, tuberculosis, HIV prevalence, emergency preparedness efforts to an extent that samples take longer to arrive at the district hospital for testing because riders do not follow proper schedules.
“Again the findings show many communities are not empowered on how to participate in monitoring healthcare services.”
Mchinji district director of health services Yohane Mwale urged communities to take a leading role in ensuring quality healthcare.
He pledged to verify claims that some nurses in health centres take prolonged off-duty days by giving each other unauthorised schedules.
“We will verify the allegations that a nurse can spend a week or so away from work in the name of shifts where only one nurse is on duty,” said Mwale.
Mchemani Ward councillor Musha White from Mchinji North Constituency called on authorities to complete construction of staff houses at Kazyozyo Health Centre.
With support from the Global Fund, the commission is implementing the project in Salima, Ntchisi, Dowa and Mchinji.
