By: Steve Chirombo

Dedza, May 7, Mana: Communities under Traditional Authority Kamenyagwaza in Dedza district have commended the renovation works of Chimkombero health post as well as construction of two healthcare staff houses saying the development will improve health service delivery in the area.

In an interview during a monitoring visit on Monday, Group Village Headman Chimkombero said his subjects have been walking long distances to access medical treatment.

“We thank government for supporting us with these development initiatives. The other nearest hospitals are at Bembeke which is a distance of about 28 kilometers or at Dedza district hospital which is even far and these developments works will help us to easily access medical treatment,” said GVH Chimkombero

He added that once complete and operational, communities will be asked to jealously guard the facility so that it stays longer while providing them with healthcare services.

He called on the authorities to quickly consider opening the facility.

Commenting on the development, a community health worker, Linos Dausi, said, meanwhile some patients are being referred to Bembeke and Dedza district hospital and that once Chimkombero health post becomes operational, more people will access health services nearby.

He also pointed out that the two staff houses that have been constructed will help healthcare workers to live close to the facility and attend to patients without difficulties.

On his part, Dedza district council, Director of Planning and Development (DPD), Macpherson Mwakhwawa, said the infrastructural development such as Chimkombero health post, are meant to enhance service delivery in the targeted communities.

“As the facility has been completed and now to be used by the communities, this means that we have alleviated problems that were being faced in terms of service delivery and at the same time, improving the livelihoods of the people in the district,” he stated

Apart from renovating Chimkombero health post, the World Bank’s performance based grant, Governance to Enable Service Delivery (GESD) has also constructed two healthcare staff houses and two VIP latrines at the site, all to a tune of K181 million.