Ntchisi clinic fails to roll out maternity services over delayed guardian shelter

In a classic example of a man dying of thirst while his legs are fully dipped in water, expectant women from Group Village Head (GHV) Chinkhande in Ntchisi brave a 20-kilometre walk or motorcycle ride to Chinthembwe Health Centre to access maternity service because their backyard facility does not provide the service.

Chinkhande Health Centre – for that is the name of their backyard health facility – enjoys some of the best quality facilities a modern health centre would wish to have.

They include a magnificent and spacious maternity ward constructed with through the Governance to Enable Service Delivery (GESD) and flush toilets, courtesy of the Water Aid Malawi.

However, the facility does not have a no guardian shelter and adequate staff, especially nurses, to roll out the much-sought-after maternity services.

The development has prompted communities surrounding the facility, led by Chinkhande Mother Care Group (MCG), to appeal to the Ministry of Health, through Ntchisi District Health Office (DHO), to expedite construction of a guardian shelter and deployment of additional staff to the clinic.

Chinkhande MCG chairperson, Marita Kathewera, complained that the delay to roll out maternity services at Chinkhande Health Centre is frustrating efforts to mobilize expectant women from the area to deliver at a clinic under the care of a skilled birth attendant.

Kathewera made the sentiments to journalists on a tour organized by the Malawi Health Equity Network (MHEN) the through the phasing out Gavi Health Systems and Immunization Strengthening (HSIS) Project.

“It’s very sad that some women are delivering on the way to Chinthembe Health Centre in the absence of a skilled birth attendant. We appeal to the government and other well-wishers to rescue us,” she said.

Echoing Kathewera’s plea, GVH Chinkhande assured the government and non-governmental organizations, which may be interested to assist, that the community has already mobilized bricks and sand for the construction of the shelter and additional staff houses.

“What we need is cement and the rest of the materials to have these structures [guardian shelter and staff houses] constructed. Please, those in government do something about it before we lose expectant women to deaths that come with childbirth,” he pleaded.

An official from Ntchisi District Health Office (DHO), Mavuto Guma, confirmed the development, adding that the office is aware of the challenges the communities surrounding Chinkhande Health Centre are facing to access maternity services.

But Guma could not shed light on how soon the community could have their wish for a guardian shelter and additional staff granted.

Established in 2021 with support from MHEN, Chinkhande MCG has made significant contributions to the community. Other than promoting immunization uptake in the area, the group also collaboratively worked with Ntchisi District Council in the construction of the antenatal clinic, maternity ward and incinerator.

They pleaded for a permanent nurse, and the council provided them with one. It is also the MCG knelt down on the knees of Water Aid Malawi, begging for the construction of toilets at the facility. And their prayer was granted.

MHEN Executive Director George Jobe said he was inspired by the contributions the group has made to the community.

But Jobe was quick to join the group in appealing for support towards finalization of the projects at Chinkhande Health Centre.

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