Report to hospital early, pregnant women told

Machinga District Hospital spokesperson Clifton Ngozo has urged pregnant women to attend antenatal services.

He said this on Wednesday when the district hospital released a report on maternal deaths registered between April and December 2022.

Ngozo said they registered 23 maternal deaths compared to 21 during the corresponding period in 2021.

He said: “Pregnant women come late to hospital and after checking their health passport, you discover that they did not attend antenatal services.

“When they experience complications, we struggle to address them and this leads to loss of life.”

Ngozo asked traditional leaders to encourage their subjects to report to hospital early when they become pregnant.

He also attributed pregnant women’s failure to attend antenatal services to lack of transport to make it to Machinga District Hospital.

“Following the rise in fuel prices, we withdrew ambulances from some health centres. But there is hope because Press Trust has completed rehabilitation of K500 million Ntaja Community Hospital, which has a post-natal ward,” he said.

Senior Chief Ngokwe, whose people cover about 101kilometres to access antenatal services at the district hospital, commended Press Trust for the initiative.

“It means my people will now access antenatal services within reach, which will reduce maternal deaths,” he said.

Machinga District Council chairperson Richard Matenje said the upgrading of Ntaja Health Centre to a community hospital will improve healthcare delivery in the district.

“People used to travel to Machinga District Hospital for other services which were not available at Ntaja Health Centre. This led to loss of lives,” he said.

Matenje said Ntaja Community Hospital will serve about 450 000 people in the district.

He further  said Machinga District Hospital will provideservices to the rest and people from Balaka District.