Why Neno won’t grow

Esther Njobvu, 20, does not forget November 2009. The mother of two was only 12 when she came to the rescue of her pregnant neighbour—and Neno’s poor roads in southern Malawi spoiled what is supposed to be the happiest moment in a woman’s lifetime.

Recalls the resident of Magaleta Village, T/A Mlauli, Neno: “My parents were in the fields when I heard our neighbour calling my name. Her labour had started, but her husband had gone to the garden. Even worse, our gardens are far away. So, I took her to a temporary clinic at Ligowi. After examining her, the attendant referred her to Neno District Hospital.”

Ligowi is about 25km from Neno Boma, but the ambulance endured about five hours only for the woman to give birth midway.

“It was raining heavily and the narrow road was almost impassable because of potholes and mud. The journey was slow and the woman started crying and bleeding. She was visibly in pain. Unfortunately, the ambulance got stuck in the mud. There was no house nearby,” she says.

They waited for about four hours before the ambulance moved out of the mud, narrates the woman.

“I prayed for her. Fortunately, she gave birth right in the ambulance. But it was terrible,” she explains.

With a makeshift clinic, Ligowi is awaiting the opening of a new clinic which was completed three years ago. Njobvu’s story mirrors the effects of poor roads on safe motherhood and delivery of healthcare services in Neno.

 “There are poor outcomes in most of the emergency conditions referred to different healthcare facilities. This is evident in high maternal and neonatal death rates, especially considering that we don’t have a theatre yet at the district hospital,” says district health officer Victor Nkhoma.

Nkhoma says the hospital usually overspends on maintenance and refuelling of its fleet, instead of investing in services that directly contribute to effective healthcare delivery.

The situation is worse during rainy season as most suppliers of medicine, medical appliances and foodstuffs hardly reach remote parts of the district. According to Nkhoma, food supplies are “a big problem” because the cost of transportation keeps rising and some suppliers stop delivering the goods.

Even health workers, decries Dr Nkhoma, are “gravely demoralised”.  He revealed that the district, with a population of 104 000, has lost nine nurses and clinicians recently.

“This, with the lack of specific and strategic incentives, leaves health workers demotivated. Most of them are leaving Neno in search of better conditions in urban areas.” lamented the doctor.

The road network also hinders the supervision of the health sector.

“The quality of services sometimes is not closely monitored. Tackling the road problems would improve essential health indicators,” says Nkhoma.

The road is a well-chronicled setback to all institutions which provide social services in the district.

“Teachers do not want Neno,” says T/A Dambe. “Most of the schools in remote areas do not have enough teachers. Most pupils are not motivated. They lack inspiration.”

This poses questions on Neno’s chances to develop.

Declared the district’s director of planning and development McPherson Mwakhwawa: “It is a big a challenge. The paradox of it, all judging by its rich soils and abundant rare earth deposits, Neno has great potential to develop.”

Neno was declared a standalone district in 2002, nearly four decades after Malawi won its independence from Britain. Till now, the district is still crying for a tarmac road.

Mary Chilewani, a widow from Dzomodya village, who sells fish at the boma, says Neno is an ‘island’.

“We are not surrounded by any water body, but the condition of the road is so frustrating that we have to travel to Balaka to get fish from Mangochi. We spend more time on the road. Sometimes, rains soak the fish and they lose value,” said the 43-year-old.

Locals says the transport problems are making goods expensive and hindering farmers from better markets in Mwanza, Blantyre, Lilongwe and beyond.

 “There are no reliable modes of transport. The pickups are seasonal and expensive. Townspeople with their better vehicles buy our fruits at a very low price,” complained tangerine farmer Matasoni Simion.

The cries of Neno call for urgent redress.