Zambians flood Mchinji District Hospital
There is an influx of Zambians at Mchinji District Hospital which has triggered drug shortage at the health facility, the Malawi News Agency (Mana) has learnt.
Speaking in an interview last week, hospital spokesperson Frank Kaphaso blamed the situation on the silence on the policy of access to medical services by foreigners.
Kaphaso said lack of a clear policy on the matter puts health officers into a difficult situation on whether to give medical assistance to people from neigbouring countries or not.
“Our health policy is silent on access to medical services by foreigners; there is nothing like barring foreigners from accessing medical care in the country’s health facilities. We cannot stop treating people just because they are from Zambia,” he said.
But a Malawian living in Mchinji who spoke on condition of anonymity told Mana that she was denied medical treatment in Chipata, which is along the Malawi-Zambia border, because she did not have a national identity document (that she is Zambian).
“I was shocked because Zambians are treated freely in Malawi,” she said.
But according to the World Health Organisation (WHO) policy, people are allowed to access healthcare services as long as the medical facility they would like to visit is near their area.
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