Zomba communities urged to foster safe motherhood

White Ribbon Alliance national coordinator Nancy Kamwendo has urged women to report challenges they face in labour wards to foster safe motherhood.

She said this on Tuesday at M’mambo in Sub-Traditional Authority Nkapita in Zomba during a safe motherhood meeting.

The meeting was aimed at identifying challenges women face during pregnancy and labour in health facilities as well as the strides made in safe motherhood.

“Our objective is to inform the communities that expectant mothers have a right to privacy, right to receive accurate and adequate treatment and other maternal rights if they are to successfully deliver,” she said.

Lucy Mlaza from Tebulo Village said she faced challenges when delivering, adding that the midwife told her the baby will be born by noon that day but labour began before the allocated time.

“I called the midwife for help but she insisted that it was not yet time to deliver. When I started delivering myself, the midwife and other clinicians came to my help,” she said.

Nursing and midwife technician at M’mambo Health Centre Jezino Sillah Mpokosa, expressed ignorance on the concerns, but pledged to investigate.

“We appeal to expectant women and those that have just delivered to report any challenges they face at health  facilities,” he said. n