Malawians making too many babies —Health Minister

April 5, 2015 Nyasa Times Reporter 119 Comments

Minister of Health Dr Jean Kalilani has noted that Malawians are having too many babies which will impact on the population growth of the one of the world’s most impoverished countries.

Mothers wait to have their babies weighed at the Bwaila maternity clinic, Malawi. –Photo by The Global Fund / John Rae
Mothers wait to have their babies weighed at the Bwaila maternity clinic, Malawi. –Photo by The Global Fund / John Rae

Kalilani said government plans to construct a new hospital in Lilongwe, after newspaper report suggest eapid population growth in Malawi’s capital, Lilongwe and the surrounding districts has turned Kamuzu Central Hospital (KCH) into a death trap with up to five children in the emergency ward sharing a bed

However, Kalilani said the construction of a news hospital might not automatically solve the congestion problem at KCH.

“We are doing our best to decongest the hospitals, but what is happening is that we are just making too many children and then the population is growing and there will be more patients going to the hospital,” Kalilani told Weekend Nation.

“ It is time we found means to stop this rapid growth of population,” said Kalilani.

Speaking to reporters in Lilongwe to explain the status of health sector reforms, Kalilani disclosed that other hospitals are facing similar congestion problems.

She was hopeful that the reforms which her ministry is implementing would address some of those challenges.

Recently, the Sunday Times newspaper reported about a 50-year-old woman who has 22 children.

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119 replies on “Malawians making too many babies —Health Minister”

  1. Let us not abuse the special privilege which God gave us,producing babies like that and failing to support them its not right seriously.

  2. koma alomwe nde timatoswana ngati mbira pamodzi ndi azathu achawa komaso atumbuka.
    taonani momwe titovutikira m’manyumba mwa anthumu.

    kugwira ncthito ngati sukulipidwa,mavuto kumuzi.kkkkkkkkkkkkkk

  4. Alomwe, Ayawo/Achawa listen: Pitani ku school chonde umbuli wanuwu Malawi is too small for your frequent nyeres. All you do all do nkumangochindana basi. School to you is haram, but a person who has gone through school at least will understand when we say we need to slow down on baby making. Majority of u rely on the few relations or complete strangers to assist you with fees if at all they will go to school. Munthu ndiwe telala koma ana mpaka ten, kusoka mwakathithi munthu wamayi. Maximum number should be two per family. Mukuwathera malo ma northerners kusaka ntchito za u tenant, fotseki.

  5. This is a blessing indeed. Being barren is not good. Ndaziona but now God blessed me and I want more babies. Cheers malawi. Go deeper

  8. Berekanani a Malawi mumapirimu ndikufuna ndizionamo zisakasa basis chitukuko chakwana enawa alindima billion koma alive ana azathandiza ndiponso Madonna azatengako ena mwinanso Tupac nkuzaombolako angapo

  9. We seriously need to run a serious sensitization campaign about this.Ena akumabeleka ana ambiri thinking that government or relations will help them.People need to take responsibility for their own children.Ngati sungakwanitse, visit Banja la Mtsogolo.

    Chinanso-MBC TV and radios have the worst programs that dont help to civilize or educate the masses.Let people find some good entertainment through good and radio TV programs.Even pa radio ma announcer kungokhalira kutamika mowa, weekend, laziness, mababiee.Our poverty will get worse by the day.Moreover those that employ for radios and TV dont look at whether the announcer or presenter has a head to think

  10. Ana abadwe basi. Boma lipitilize kumanga zipatala zazikuluzikulu. Nchito ya kuchipinda ndiyoufunika kwambiri. Ngati Azibusa nawonso amyiwala baibulo, kumalira kuchipinda ngati akumenyedwa, koma kuli kusangalala akumva kokuma kwa mayi busa. Ife ndife ayani ife. Tanyozeka basi.

  11. Mwina boma lipeze katemera oti adzibaya ana onse akakwana zaka ten oletsa kubeleka then aziwabaya otsakula kubeleka akalowa mbanja. Nanga titani anthuni? Maganizo anga chabe ine. Koma osadanda, mwini dzikoli akubwera kudzaliombola.

  12. As am writing mulomwe wina akuyidzala ka chi number ten. Ndi alhomwe akupangitsa zimene zo. Anthu anyere heavy.

  13. inuso olemba nkhani tazilembani nkhani zoona.imagine a Zodiak kumafananisa hsa ndi zamba wakumudzi.koma zomwe mumalembazo mumakhalanazo ndi umboni?zikungoonetselatu kuti simumazidziwa zomwe amaphuzitsidwa.ntchito ya chipatala sititengera kuloweza.

  14. Tamangomanga chipatalacho. Mmene mukukomera azimayinu ndikavale condom? Za ziiiiii. Tikwatanabe plain plain. Sizomanga kachipatala ngati gututu. We need very modern hospital with modern technology and spacious.

  15. Chilangwe, you are foolish. Munthu uzingoswa ana ngati nkhumba kudalira boma kuti likupangire ma plan? Most of the rich pple have 2 healthy children while the poor have 8 malnourished ones

    1. i think u are missing a point here my brother.but the truth is not that we making alot of babies,our government must built more hospital .more school.doesnt matter how much kids u have but if government dont built more hospital then u wil stil have the same problem.i might be a fool but i know what am talking about.built more hospital .period.problem solved

  16. We are very poor in Malawi.No disposable income for entertainment.This is our only entertainment mrs health minister.Leave us alone with our bedroom antics.

  17. Kuberekana saletsana nchilengedwe! Tangomangani zipatala zambiri, musiyiretu kumayika ndalama mmatumba mwanumo

  19. ight at last someone in government has woken up. 1 family 1child. that is where we Need to be. will out happen… no,not a chance

  21. We look at eligible voters when polls day comes.If your parents family planned,would you have been born enanu mukuti mimba piku piku kumatiwuza zochita.

  22. za ziiii.thats not the solution.munthu savutika just bcoz u got many children.pali anthu ena akuvutika koma alibe mwana.vuto ndiloti boma lanthu lilibe plan iliyonse.kamuzu anamanga zipatala malinga ndi mmene anthu anali nthawi imeneyo .lero nanunso the government of the day u should build hospital. cos ngakhale u limit the no of babies per family congestion ikhalapobe as long as u. only have one referal hospital

  23. Tangoganizani, 1900 babies per minute, taonjeza amalawi. In think the ministry better put in strategies like laws to minimize this circumstance like three children per family, I think this will help.

  25. Comment MMAKHOMO MULIBE INTERNAINMENT APART FROM KUKHALIRA LIMODZI MAYI NDI BAMBO KUPANGA ANA

  26. A Boma ndinu zitsiru, mumati kwadamu ife tizitani? Bweretsani magetsi otchipa m’midzmu tizionera zooneraonera kukada. Apo bii, tizingokhalira NKHWATO yomweyi basi!

  27. Zinazi ndizona koma akumayamba ndi ma minister omwewo omwe akubeleka ana ndi ana a sukulu ngati kaya pali nduna ina ili ndi ana twenty three yakumpotoku koma sinasiyebe ku kalasa ndie with these types of ministers how will the population cease it realy pathetic we need to come with a policy on chidlren bearing for sure.

  28. The problem is there so many speculation of which Girls are desperate of marriage ..having looking at themselves kuti akukula …..and also the churches ..are more in teaching about maukwati.. as such nde aliyense afuna apangtiletu mwana ali pa age ya bwino…. In UK they were raising money to help children in kamuzu central Hospital chifukwa cha wana komanso udzudzu …….izi zubweratsa umphawi …..

  29. GOD FEARING NATION – SONS AND DAUGHTERS OF ABRAHAM!!!! LET US MULTIPLY.

    This is the problem with these muslim and christian teachings. Every church knows that the most reliable congregant who pays tithes is the family man and woman who has children. The more kids they have the more fearful of god they are and more likely to pay silly donations to churches.

    The churches are now prophesying about your children being great every Friday and Sunday – so how does one stay away from bearing children? I have three kids myself – fortunately I am an etheist and can trust my gut to stop child-bearing!!!

    Bunny rabbits!

  30. some people are indeed outdated, no wonder they are just making babies. How can one say Malawi has 11 million, yet we are way beyond 18 million or thereabout? Infact Govt need to come up with a policy, each family should be paying tax, as long as you have children pay according to the number of children you have.
    others are just good at making them, but cant take good care of them amapatsa achibale awo kuti ati awasamilire?

  31. Abale ku Malawi tilipo anthu ochepa kwambiri around eleven million basi. Tiyeni tiberekane kwambiri kuchulukana ndi chuka cha dziko. Ndili omva chisoni kwambiri kwa anthu amene mukukana kuberekana, “kodi inu bwenzi mulipo?” Kapena mukuona ngati muzankhala pa dziko 900 years ngati m’badwo wakale wachina abraham. Tonse tili paulendo musatayirire palibe akunkhala pa dziko kwa kanthawi musaletse kuberekani. Bola kupenga ngira yowalerera anawo koma satenga nthawi. ife tinakula bwa. Chonde abale asiyeni anthu aberekane momwe afunira.

  32. TIYE NAZO MALAWI TICHULUKANE NGATI NCHENGA BASI. IWE JEAN WADYA NYAOPE ETI? IWE UNABADWA BWA? NONSENSE. TAZINGODYANI NDALAMA ZA THU ZO

  33. Tiyeni tikambilane za nyanja kuti tiyamba liti kupanga mafuta ife a chinyamata tikusowa ntchito. Za ana ali ndi abambo awo ndi makolo awo mtsonkho limadulawu ntchito yake ndiye ndiyo kugula makwala mzipatalamu

  34. Not long ago the Government told all males to go for sarcamcision, now it complains of too many babys being born. My suggestion is to have the member cut off completely and sterilzation of females. You see, Babies yoyee!

  36. Tigwire ntchitoyi komabe remember to do it responsibly becoz God will hold each one of us accountable for all calamities we are subjecting our innocent children to. osamaberekera anawa dyera ayi, tiyeni tilele. kulera woyee!!!!!!

  37. Chomwe chimandidabwitsa ine ndi choti amene amalimbikitsa zochepetsa chiwerengerowa ali ndi zidzukulu miyandamiyanda.Iwowonso m’banja mwawo ndi anambala 12.Ena amafunanso mavoti ochuluka pa chisankho.

  38. In A Market Economy pupulation is is anaza factor for business growth but can affect negatively as well .hweva a minister think of umbanda woba misonkho yathu u r doing up to now, lack of vosions by our leaders,nepotism and other staff

  39. Jean!, ndimati ndikuitane ku chikwati changa mwezi wa mawa koma nje wandionjeza ukufuna nsabale umagula matewera ndiwe? xxiiiiiii

  40. Here’s a proposed policy. We need incentives for people who practice family planning. Everyone who has only one child, that child must be entitled to free health, free formula milk (Likuni phala) and free education up to masters level. To make this work, every child must be registered at birth and all services providers should have a link to this biometric database. Anyone who wishes to make more than 1 babies, he must be prepared to meet the costs of health care, education, etc. this policy will ensure a very healthy population of healthy and educated labour force. Too many Malawians are stunted, poorly clothed consequently low IQ and cognitive learning. Even our footballers are too weak, stunted and frail, due to poor background. We don’t have any players that can stand shoulder to shoulder with Yaya Toure, Bony, Drogba, Rooney, Ivanovic, Cahill, Obi Mikel etc. We only have weaklings. In all spheres of life we can’t compete. If Government adopts my policy you will see a healthier Malawi full of confident and strong people with a high IQ. This superior race will be ready to take on the world. This is the only route out of poverty to prosperity.m

  42. We need a one family one child policy like in China. But anzathu akumpoto poti alipo ochepa, this policy should not apply to them, lol!

  43. Ndipo sitinati. Tili pa target yoti pofika 2020, chiwerengero cha ana chifike 17million. Tchire losayamba kuno. Ndalama zivute nanga ndi ana omwe. Ma battery ayaka kuti buu! O yes DURATA.

  44. As a country we can’t solve any problem. We rely on natural interventions. So even this natural intervention called ‘AIDS’ is miserably failing to check our population??????

  45. Fertility rates declines as the economic outlook of a country improves. To improve the economy, educate the girl child, improve health care to promote child survival and invest in productive sectors such as industries. These are proved effective means to slow down population growth, not complaining about women giving births.

  46. m’mati tizitani usiku,no entertainment why!our houses have no electricity kuti tizicedwa ndi ma TV koma haaa kungodya madzulo ndikhala bwino thats entertaiment ya mu mdima,boma should just built more hospitals maka m’mizindamu

  47. the right to have children is not quantified or qualified, howeever just as too much sugar isnt good , too much of anything is not good. Logically the resources that malawi has to support human life are not endless , there are limited therefore , if we dont care about quantiity then the general rule will apply we will be challenged by quality, meaning if the population becomes 20 million and we all cook pa makala and we dont plant trees or the trees we plant dont survive, and we are want to be burried when we die to occupy 2 metre x 3metres of the land per person, and we are opening more settlement into the depleted forest and into farm lan d, this is a stupid population swell, unwanted uneccasary, EVER WONDERED WHY UK IS RICHER THAN INDIA, IT IS SIMPLE A GAME OF NUMBERS AGAINST RESOURCES, INDIA HAS THE CASH BUT IT HAS OVER I BILLION MOUTH TO FEED, we do not want tobe the on top of the list on population density and popverty. Malawis top problemswhich arent talked enough includes, resource( human,natural) avaiilability and lmanagement ( population is a key factor), corruption, some cultural influences.secure natational identification system is a key to development,females should be allowed to give birth a maximum or 3 children and males should father 3 max with automatic sterilization on the 3rd child, pentaties should go to defaulters, u might say it cant work,limitations upon realizatyion of limits in resources WORKs TO OVER 1Bn people in china

  48. Comment ku south Africa it’s worse, babies everywhere. Malawi kukwiya ndi chigololo pa Joni.

  49. vutoli ndilakalekale kungoti azamba aja amathandiza ndiye vutoli silimaoneka. Mapologalamu amene akhala pakatipa angolimbikiatsa anthu kukakachilira ku chipatala koma malo ochilirawa sanaonjezeredwe

  50. Chonde yetsetsani mankhwala olela azipezeka mu zipatalamu, chifukwa akumatsowa zotsatira zake ndi zimenezi.

  53. A country of weddings and bridal showers all year round. Baby showers and maternity leaves. A very tiny country but 16mn people.

  55. Our poverty has nothing to do with our population. We are just too dull. We produce nothing of value except tobacco. We are neither creative nor innovative. Its beyond debate that our economy is not performing and does not generate enough forex. Yes we must control our population growth but more importantly grow our economy to sustain this country. Poverty also leads to overpopulation. China and India have large populations but are also doing well in manufacturing etc. In Malawi the only growing sector is the public sector.

  56. Mimba take amati tisabereke!!!akuwadyetsa ndiyeyo?azingokwera misokho yanthuyo basi!! Mimba take!

  59. Hahahahaaa!Edzi ikupha miyanamiyanda ya anthu kuchepetsa chiwerengero pamene anthu akuberekana kwambiri.Imeneyi timati diro(draw)gemu(game)

  62. ana amazakhala atsogoleri amawa nanga kodi inu anduna chipanda kubwadwa bwenzi muli anduna? tizibelekana kumene.

  63. Wedding every weekend and all expect to make children. What a shameful poor country.

  66. zopusa basi who can control population,ndichikonzero cha mulungu kuti tichulukane ngati mchenga boma likulephera kwatumikira anthu wotchepa koma taonani pa nigeria pompa anthu ambiri but govt is controlling shame malawi

  67. we used to have vibrant family programme in 1990s, why did we stop that. this is what happens when everything is looked at from the lens of politics. umuona munthu alibe chilichonse koma ana 7. what for?

    its high time govt put a stop to this. ma vote ma vote a chani

    1. Iweyo sungaone kufunika kwa ana poti subereka.Makolo ako akadafuna ana 7 iwe sukanabadwa.Kkkkkkkk

  68. Rich pple get worried when poor malawians bear kids, more than happy when they hav a new born. Everyone need a kid mum! Let nature balance itself, finding means as u said z as consulting Oracle. Pple die after o. Though shall never accelerate death!

  69. That is un area president muthalika should look for , population its two much now , economic growth does not tale wih populatoin growth , you see 13years old have a fell child,it is going out of have now . Kale anthu amanyamuka town kukafuna mkazi kumudzi koma, pano tikupezeka ndi ti a bonya teni teni pano mwana wa standard ndiwang’ono kwambiri ndichifukwa chjake ambiri akuoneka ngati nzeru alibe , zinthu zatembenuka pano asungwana akuluko pang’ono akumapezeka town, anthu kumidziku angodana chifukwa cha minda

  71. I think the government should should negotiate with other government whose men are weak like Singapore to export amuna azitho from Malawi to make babies there

  72. Go yeal to those people in Southern Region districts and a few from Central Region. Makiing babies as if they are competing with pigs. Even knowlegeable learned couples are at it manufacturing.

  74. Amasowa Chochita Mmalomwake Amakokwera Basi Apatseni Chochita Kuti Asamaberekane Ngati Makoswe

  78. Surely, Minister Kalirani, charging a fee at medical facilities is not reform aimed at any population trends. Please scrap that idea: it makes no sense economically, socially or politically.
    Now that I have said my two cents worth on that point: we do need to curb the population growth in our country. People do understand the connection between family size and family economics: even those who did not complete primary school understand that either from experience or observation without data. Malawi is a religious nation; and some denominations, like the Catholic Church is not helpful in solving this problem. What will it take to cross that final hurdle?
    Men and women must understand that birth control does not mean deprivation of sex. Period. And having more kids does not improve one’s social status. It should be the opposite, indeed.
    Perhaps we should have a one family/two children policy or law. Or something along that line. Otherwise we are heading towards a Malthusian catastrophe. And soon. Every economic advancement we may make will be negated by this monster problem. It’s like taking one step forward, two steps back!

  80. The solution is to kill some useless tribes along the lakeshore and some parts of southern region where there is too much umbuli. Chiziwa iwo nkuchinda basi. I mean alomwe and achawa. Spare atumbuka, they are not a problem at all

  81. Yes, as far as child making is concerned us Malawians have gone overboard. There are so many people in Malawi than there are in Zambia and Zimbabwe as someone has written above, yet the land area for Malawi is much smaller compared to those too countries. Economically we are a shame as well and with this population boom we should expect the worst to come. There is more the govt should do to stop this population boom,. On the other hand we would have expected the younger generation to be responsible enough in the way they reproduce but this is not the case at present. What is it in children that we want to the extents of having them in fives and sixs? One child is enough. In fact a couple can do without a child. we just have enough people around, why make some more?

  82. Is this the reason you want to legalise abortion so that you mercilessly kill these innocent unborn babies?…small minds indeed and woe to you! Egyptians did the same on Israelites slaves but the more they oppressed them; killing their babies, the more the Israelites multiplied.Jahweh is not UNFPA or UN.He is the true God and Creator of everything!Unfortunately with your non-patriotic,selfish,corruptive and money-hungry minds you are buzy brainwashing mothers and the unsuspecting families to kill their own babies to satisfy your deadly missions.What another infanticide in the computer age!Apparently, “Safe motherhood, safe abortion,safe sex” etc is your newspeak and jargon.Paradoxically you choose to ignore Jahweh’s virtues and instead promote vices packaged in the so called “modern lifestyles” eg promiscuity-acknowledging “sex workers” and sodomites/mathanyula, nudety,atheism etc.
    All these tactics, unfortunately, are and will never be the right solution to the worldwide overpopulation problem myth.Yes…myth!Because overcrowding should not be equated to over-population without properly analysing the compositions and trends of the population pyramids of various countries worldwide.Yet other countries’ pyramids are upside down where number of adults exceed that of children.What does that tell or forecast?
    By the way, why is China with the highest population holds the biggest share of the world’s economy regardless its being imposed with the infamous one child policy??? Human Population boom therefore is not the problem.Social injustice is where the rich(nations and individuals politicians included) are exploiting the poor so that they become richer and stronger leaving the poor poorer and dead in the end.Shame on you selfish leaders of the computer age who can not love and protect your electorates and the defenseless and innocent unborn human babies and children.

  83. Tikati atsikanawa ayambe kulera mumati ayi ziyambitsa uhule,sizachikhalidwe chathu. Ndiye ndizimenezo,muzikalipira ma 1500

  85. Stupid minister, where is the factory CHILDREN are made ?Are you not the factory that made this so called rapper tygrin ? Why does it appear to be different when the poor does the rich’s

  86. lets legalize human trafficking. nanga titani?? poti akubadwawa adzafuna ana. Kkkkkkkkkkkkkk!!!

  88. The answer is simple. We need a leader who is bold enough to legislate baby limit to 2 or 3 utmost. We r multiplying like bacteria.

  89. Government should put a one child per family policy. Otherwise the population is draining our resources, sitingatukuke with this fertility. Zipatala tizilipila, primary school tizilipilanso. Anthu akupusa ndi zinthu za ulele.

  90. This is why the churches and mosques have already started preaching against couples having far more children amidst failing family, community and national resource bases.

  92. Lets reduce,its for our own good lets cooperate with the ministers concern

  93. For the first time our minister has noted something that is making we malawians poor. i would love to see the government doing something about our rapid growing population. dont mind my english

  94. Kusowa zochita pa Malawi. The well known sporting activity in Malawi ndi chiwerewere basi. We can be on position one on serious sexual acts in the world. Mavuto kuuu, matewera kukhala zitenje ndi zovala zakutha. Tizimvere chisoni abale.

  97. Dr Kalilani is saying the truth.Malawians are making too many babies.Unfortunately those who are in the forefront are those who earn very little.Zambia is 4 to 5 times larger than Malawi yet in terms of population they are slightly less than we are.This is why service delivery in all government hospitals is poor.We need to control this

  99. The government policy on population control is not working. This rapid population increase is unsustainable. Osamangomvera a mipingo amene akulimbikitsa anthu kuti aziberekana mwachisawawa. Ka dziko ndikakang’ono aka.

  101. People are frustrated with the dpp government hence the only good thing that compensate them is sex
    Dpp should learn to use our taxes well otherwise kumangotiberaku sikuthandiza zoona kumagawana misonkho yathu a galu inu, mufa imfa yowawa

  103. Malo ambiri akungokhala kusowa anthu woti alimepo kapena kumangapo nyumba, it’s people who develop a nation. Don’t be greedy guys. Population yathu yidakali kutali kw ambiri, what is 14million? After all population yathu yimathelanso mayiko akunja monga UK, RSA, ena kufa etc. We need to replace them.

  106. i dont understand this, myself i have been married for 5 yrs now no kid and i just wanted to just have one kid, just one but to no avail, life is very funny and unfair!!!! i have even lost hop on this!!!!!

  109. Nthaka Za Chonde. Stringent Measures From Govnt.
    Akatenga Mimba Azilipira Even In Families, May Be Women Can Stat Using Contraceptives.
    Early School Drop Out To Be Arrested Mommentariry And, Them And Their Parents To Be Placed On Community Service For A Month. My Suggestion, Yours?

  110. Kalirani sanaberekepo. Ndiosabereka ndipo she adopted Tay Grin. Usiru eti! Asiyeni anthu ambereke,amadya kunyumba kwako?

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