Unsafe-motherhood! Malawi babies born in hospital corridors: MP says lack of maternity bed, iron drugs

Many Malawian women are having to give birth outside maternity wards because of a lack of midwives and hospital beds and the situation is dire at Chimoto Health Centre in Dedza, parliament has learnt.

Pregnant women forced to give birth in such inappropriate places
Pregnant women forced to give birth in such inappropriate places

The lives of mothers and babies are being put at risk as pregnant women are put through the trauma of having to give birth in such inappropriate places.

The MP for Dedza West, Phillipo Chinkhondo,  asked Minister of Health Peter Kumpalume if he is aware that most of the health centres are operating without proper delivery beds in the maternity wards.

He cited Chimoto Health Centre which has no delivery beds but every day there are over four births at the health centre.

Chinkhondo  of Malawi Congress Party (MCP) also said “several maternity wards are operating without the medicines to support women who have severe loss of blood, such as ferrous sulphate.”

Kumpalume said Ministry of Health will “investigate the matter”, saying  if indeed Chimoto Health Centre does not have delivery beds, “we will rectify the situation.”

The Minister of Health said he was “actually surprised” that that Chimoto Health Centre does not have iron sulphate because normally the maternity wing does not stay without these two key medicines.

He said “normally, these are readily available medicines”.

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Dotolo
Dotolo
7 years ago

Very nice of an MP to show his concern about such an important topic, but honorable sir, not everything can or should be handled inside parliament. The medical assistant or nurse in-charge, could answer about ferrous sulphate. They probably ordered some but CMST have not brought. In that case, the in-charge could ask for some for some from DHO or neighboring facilities, unless the whole district has none. For delivery beds, its very strange, as the minister says, that the facility has zero. There may not be enough, or be ordinary couches in use and not necessarily company made delivery… Read more »

Tapiwe Gondwe
7 years ago
Reply to  Dotolo

I followed my in law at bwaila martenity ward. There were not enough beds. Women in pain were sitting on the floor. I saw a woman giving birth there. Calliñg for a midwife or nurse no one came. A baby was lying between her legs nurses just look and shout at her. I became angry at ask them what a heil was that. When I saw my in law was crying. I asked the nurse where could we go to find a bed because she was about to give birth they told me to find a bed. Luck enough there… Read more »

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