US Ambassador hails Chipatala Cha Pa Foni
United States Ambassador Robert Scott has commended the health centre by phone initiative, popularly known as Chipatala Cha Pa Foni (CCPF), for increasing access to free, timely and quality health information in the country.
Speaking in Lilongwe yesterday during the handover of CCPF from Village Reach to the Ministry of Health, he said the initiative has become a vital platform for disseminating Covid-19 information and advice through health education, client referrals and follow-up.
Said Scott: “This activity exemplifies our shared goal of improving the health of Malawians, given the number of partners who have supported it. In addition, it links communities to health facility services, extending the reach of the health system to everyone, including under-served communities.”
On her part, Minister of Health Khumbize Chiponda said her ministry will ensure that the facility is sustained and benefit more people.
She said: “Chipatala Cha Pa Phone is here to stay. Let me assure our partners and Village Reach that, as a ministry, we will ensure that this project flourishes and expands.”
Chiponda said some ailments do not require hospital visits but simply advice from medical personnel as facilitated by the CCPF.
She also commended Airtel Malawi for supporting the project and Village Reach for initiating the project.
Major contributors to CCPF include USAid through its Organised Network of Services for Everyone’s Health Activity, the US President’s Emergency Plan for Aids Relief (Pepfar), the German Government’s GIZ, Vitol Foundation, Skoll Foundation, John Snow Incorporated, Johnson & Johnson.
Chiponda called for more support from Germany and USA, saying the two countries are better placed to provide advanced equipment for the facility to ensure it moves with changes in technology.
In his remarks, German Ambassador Jurgen Borsch said his government will continue to support the project, which has played a great role in the fight against Covid-19 by providing a platform where people can seek information on the pandemic and how they can prevent it.
Airtel Malawi chief executive officer Charles Kamoto said the company values health care in the country; hence, its commitment to support the establishment of the facility.
He also said Airtel is ready to support Ministry of Health to ensure that the facility is sustained.
CCPF is a free national health and nutrition hotline developed by the Ministry of Health and Village Reach.
It originally started in 2011 as a community-based hotline that focused on maternal and child health needs in Balaka District but later expanded to include adolescent health services, maternal health, and sexual and reproductive health.
The hotline operations have since relocated to Lilongwe where it now serves the entire country through the toll-free number 54747. It has also been fully integrated into Malawi’s health system, operated by the Disaster Preparedness and Emergency Response Unit within the Ministry of Health.
A statement issued yesterday by the US Embassy in Malawi, said CCPF is available free to all clients calling from an Airtel number across the country and available at a standard rate for callers using other phone service providers.
The statement said the handover marked the final transition of the CCPF having run from June 2016 to date. n
