Expectant mothers sleep on the floor in Malawi hospital

Pregnant women at Khombedza Health Centre, 25 Kilometres north of Salima District,  are sleeping literally on the floor due to in availability of  beds.

When space on the floor in the ward runs out, their attendants sleep in corridors of the ward. Or outside on the hospital veranda and compound.

The patients are also at risk of contracting malaria disease because the mosquito nets  which they are using are torn and outdated.

Khombedza clinic In charge Henry Mbedza attributed the problem to high number of the patients that the clinics receives on daily and weekly basis for delivery.

Mbedza said the problem is that the clinic is surrounded by two Christian Hospitals Association of Malawi (CHAM)  paying facilities of Thavite and Chipala.

“What happens is that people run away from the paying facilities  of Chitala and Thavite and they all converge here for treatment and labour hence the situation, there is need for another facility in the area of Traditional Authority Makanjira because currently we serve the catchment area of 56,000 people,” said Mbedza.

Member of parliament for the area who is also Malawi Congress Party (MCP) Publicity Secretary, Dr Jessie Kabwira who visited the clinic for the mother’s day cerebration said she has already reported the matter to the district Health officer (DHO) for action.