Karonga residents petition Malawi govt over poor health services

People of Karonga in collaboration with the Catholic Commission Justice and Peace (CCJP) – Karonga Diocese have expressed dissatisfaction with the manner health care services are delivered to them in the district.

Presenting the petition to the District Commissioner through the Karonga District Council chambers on Monday, CCJP project coordinator Louis Nkhata decried lack of sanitation in health centres in the district as one of the prime reasons that prompted them to petition.

Prior to handing over the petition, there was a peaceful march from Maghemo Secondary School to the district council chambers – about two and half kilometres.

“The health centre in Karonga is in a mess for the ever growing population is failing to access quality health care services which is a basic human right,” said Nkhata.

Apart from sanitation, Nkhata noted, there is also rampant smuggling of drugs from government health centres to private clinics in the district.

Recently, Nyasa Times reported a shortage of drugs that has crippled the Karonga referral hospital, forcing the citizenry to resort to the private clinics.

“Government must ensure that enough funds are budgeted for to improve on the infrastructure and employ qualified health personnel in all the health centres,” he said.

In his remarks, official from the Foundation for Community Support Services (FOCUS), Griffin Munthali, said the current medical mess in the district is responsible for the rising cases of maternal and neo-natal deaths in the district.

District Commissioner Richard Hara declined to comment on the issues raised in the matter after receiving the petition.

 

Karonga District Hospital (KDH) also suffers deplorable transport problems. Before FOCUS donated an ambulance, KDH had only an ambulance for over thirty health centres it could reach out to.

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