By Mary Makhiringa

Balaka, March 9, Mana: Balaka District Council has been applauded for constructing a K38 million guardian shelter at Balaka District Hospital.

There was jubilation when Member of Parliament (MP) for Balaka North, Tony Ngalande officially commissioned the state of the art guardian shelter constructed through the District Development Fund.

Since time immemorial, guardians at the facility have been facing numerous challenges especially during rainy season as they used to sleep in tiny corridors of the hospital.

Speaking after inaugurating the shelter, Ngalande said as a true son of Balaka and on a number of occasions that he has been coming to the hospital, he was sad seeing how people were struggling.

He said: “I am glad that what started as a dream has materialized, let me pledge that as an MP I will strive to lobby for resources for a proper District Hospital as this current facility was handed over by Catholics which was used as a leprosy treatment center."

Meanwhile the MP has also pledged to provide a proper kitchen and beddings to be used by the guardians at the facility.

In an interview, Director of Planning and Development for Balaka, Chris Nawata said the district needs a district hospital.

“We already have land reserved for the district hospital, we must move with speed, what if one day the Catholics will need their facility, where will we go?” he wondered.

Amos Mvula, a Clinical Officer hailed the council for the timely intervention saying people were struggling.

"Many times guardians had no proper place to sleep," he said.

Traditional Authority Nsamala also hailed the council for constructing the shelter, observing it will alleviate the challenges that guardians were facing at the hospital.

Nyalunganu Construction, constructed the shelter for a period of three months.

By Memory Kutengule Chatonda

Blantyre, March 9, Mana: Head of Public Health and Disaster Resilience in the office of the Secretary General of the Commonwealth, Allison Raw has commended Malawians for being resilient to the impacts of climate induced disasters.

Raw said this on Friday in Blantyre at the conclusion of her trip to the country where she visited different districts that were heavily affected by Tropical Cyclone Freddy.

Raw had come to Malawi to appreciate the impact of the devastation and also give hope to the affected families.

She said: “I have heard for myself the touching stories of Malawians who have been directly affected by cyclones. However, I must say that I am completely overwhelmed with how resilient Malawians are, everyone seemed so happy.”

Raw said her office will come up with a comprehensive plan to support Malawians and the results will also be a point of reference during the 27^th meeting of the Heads of Government of the Commonwealth of Nations to take place later in the year.

“Certainly, one of such plan to be incorporated, is to increase their resilience to the potential future climate impacts. In this way, we will work with the government of Malawi to solicit funds from international organizations and other banks to support Malawians and give them skills that would help them generate income to support their livelihoods. In that way we can make them more resilient,” she said.

In his remarks, Minister of Natural Resources, Environment and Climate Change, Michael Usi described the visit by Raw to Malawi as crucial in providing solutions to Malawians’ needs.

“In our deliberations with the commonwealth team, they have demonstrated a strong commitment to support Malawians with among others, skills to venture into small scale businesses to alleviate poverty,” he said

By Yamikani Yapuwa

Thyolo, March 9, Mana:  Self Help Africa (SHA) on Friday donated a vehicle to Thyolo District Council’s Agriculture Office to ensure that there is easy monitoring of activities and interventions implemented under the Kulima Better Programme which phased out in 2022.

Handing over the vehicle to District Commissioner for Thyolo, SHAs Project Coordinator Khwima Msiska said the vehicle will help the agriculture office to ease transport challenges that were there.

“SHA has been implementing a lot of projects in Thyolo district and Kulima Better programme which was funded by the European Union (EU) from 2018 to 2020 is one of them.

“So in agreement with the donor, we thought it wise to donate the vehicle to agriculture office to sustain the activities and interventions which the project implemented in Thyolo,” said Msiska.

Msiska also appealed to the council to take good care of the vehicle for it to be in good condition thereby serving its intended purpose.

Acting Director of Agriculture Services at the council, Mphatso Mbulukwa hailed SHA for the donation saying it will promote easy monitoring of agriculture activities.

“We have five Extension Planning Areas which are very far away and the office has more than 30 officers, so relying on two vehicles only was very difficult.

“With the coming in of this extra car, we hope that it will ease some of the challenges which we were facing in terms of mobility,” said Mbulukwa.

She said the car will also help in following up so many interventions under Kulima Better to ensure that the gains which were registered during the project period are sustained.

“So we will be using the vehicle to visit those farmers and see that we maintain the gains,” she added.

In his remarks, District Commissioner for Thyolo Hudson Kuphanga described the vehicle as a blessing to the council and the agriculture sector which will ease mobility issues.

“We are happy with the gesture as we have seen a lot of projects exiting the district without leaving their assets behind for easy continuation of monitoring of the interventions implemented,” said Kuphanga.

By Solister Mogha

Zomba, March 9, Mana:  Member of Parliament (MP) for Zomba Thondwe Constituency, Rosemary Gadama has described the newly constructed Nasawa Police Unit as a big relief to people of Chimwalira and surrounding areas.

Speaking to Malawi News Agency on Friday, Gadama said for years, the police unit has been operating from a dilapidated structure that even contributed to escape of suspects.

She said no matter how many arrests the police made, suspects were always escaping through the worn-out roof.

“Our prayers have been answered and we are more than happy for this development. With this new structure, criminal cases have dropped because people know there is a well-constructed cell that they cannot escape from,” she said.

Apart from improving security in the area, Gadama said the new police has provided a better working conditions for officers.

“A place of work also matters and the modern police unit is a big motivation to our police officers,” she said.

She then hailed government for providing the financial support through the Government to Enable Service Delivery (GESD) project, and ensuring that people of Nasawa have a new police unit.

Frezzer Josam, Officer in charge for Nasawa Police Unit said the new police has helped a lot in curbing criminal activities in the area.

Josam said from July 2023, the police unit has managed to arrest 15 criminals who are serving various sentences at Zomba maximum prison.

“It is our hope and expectation that structures such as these would continue be constructed across the country,” he said.

Village Headman Kamwendo described the new police unit a big relief to officers who kept on hunting for suspects who had already been arrested but escaped through the roof.

Director of Planning and Development for Zomba District Council, Precious Kamtsitsi said the council has several projects that it intends to implement using GESD funds.

Apart from police units, Kamtsitsi said the council will be constructing new school blocks, girl’s hostels as well as health centers.

The Director commended government for securing the GESD funds which he said is improving district’s development agenda.

The K59 million Nasawa Police Unit whose construction started in 2022 was officially handed over by the Zomba district council on July 4, 2023.

By Robert Katuli

Lilongwe, March 8, Mana: Chairperson of Parliamentary Committee on Health, Mathews Ngwale, has said it is high time stakeholders put in place strategies specifically focusing on nutrition financing, which is mostly buried in general health interventions.

Ngwale said this at a 2024/25 nutrition-focused budget analysis dissemination meeting organized by Civil Society Organization Nutrition Alliance (CSONA) at Capital Hotel in Lilongwe on Thursday.

He said despite the Ministry of Health recording the highest budget allocation ever, his committee is aware that money channeled towards nutrition is still not adequate.

“I think this year the Ministry of Health is the one that's got the giant share, 12.2% contribution has gone towards health. This is a record, and we are happy in that regard. As health committee, we were pushing for an upward adjustment towards health, and this has happened.

“But when you look at nutrition, it is only 1.1% of that budget. So the CSOs here are complaining that it's too little, and we agree that is too little,” said Ngwale.

He attributed this to lack of clear interventions, directly focusing on nutrition, observing that most of the time nutrition financing issues suffocate under general health issues, hence not receiving the needed attention.

“We've been talking about health in general, but nutrition wasn't given the attention it deserves. So today we have agreed we are going to gang up and tackle nutrition and press for an increased budget for nutrition next year. Now we've learnt we should be talking about nutrition specifically,” Ngwale added.

In his remarks, CSONA Board Chairperson John Chipeta highlighted a declining trend of resources for nutrition from 3.7% from 2020’s national budget to 1.1% this year, which is a further decline from last year’s 1.6%.

He said while this is happening, Malawi is still grappling with the triple burden of malnutrition, which includes undernutrition, micro-nutrient deficiencies and over nutrition.

“Compounding over nutrition is the issue of nutrition-related Non-Communicable Diseases which are on the rise with 32% of deaths associated with NCDs, a situation which can be managed if resources are properly invested.

“Let’s not forget that we are a country that was hit by Cyclone Freddy last year and this year more families are expected to be food insecure due to drought that has affected the quality of crops grown in this agriculture year,” warned Chipeta.

Among others, Chipeta recommended the adoption and fast-tracking of the budgetary allocation to nutrition at council level to 5% as committed by the Malawi Government at the 2021 Tokyo Nutrition for Growth Summit.

CSONA partnered with United States Agency for International Development and Lilongwe University of Agriculture and Natural Resources, among others, to come up with the analysis.

Founded in 2013, CSONA is a national coalition of CSOs, NGOs and Community Based Organizations committed to ensuring sustained improvements in nutrition in Malawi.

By Martha Simchimba

Lilongwe, March 8, Mana: Traditional leaders across the country have been urged to promote peace and unity among their subjects in order for the country to have meaningful development.

Deputy Minister of Local Government, Unity and Culture, Owen Chomanika, made the call on Friday at Mgwayi Ground in the area of Traditional Authority (T/A) Njewa during the elevation ceremony of T/A Kalumba to Senior Chief and installation of Button Chakhumba to T/A Malili.

Chakhumba was installed to T/A following the untimely death of Senior Chief Malili who died in a road accident in Mitundu in Lilongwe.

Chomanika said government, under the leadership of President Lazarus Chakwera, is elevating chiefs across the country in order for them to assist the government in fostering development programmes in their areas.

"As chiefs, you need to lead by example your subjects by promoting peace and unity and at the same time avoid corruption and biasness on any government programmes in your areas, such as Social Cash Transfer,” he said.  

Speaking on behalf of other chiefs, Senior Chief Njewa expressed gratitude to President Chakwera for entrusting her with the new position, saying she will make sure that she promotes the government agenda taking place in her area.

"I am more than happy to be part of the history that has been made today. I don't take this for granted, and I promise to work and abide by the rule of law," she said.

Minister of Mining Monica Chang’anamuno, Minister of Gender Jean Sendeza, Former Minister of Agriculture Lobin Lowe and District Commissioner for Lilongwe Dr. Lawford Palani were among those who graced the event.

By Kondwani Magombo

Lilongwe, March 8, Mana: Japanese embassy to Malawi on Friday signed a K60 million grant with Lilongwe City Council for importation of an ambulance to serve the population of the city.

The signing ceremony took place at the Japanese embassy in the city where Japanese ambassador to Malawi, Yoichi Oya, said the grant aims to improve health service delivery in Lilongwe City.

Oya noted that the Lilongwe City Council makes a lot of efforts to provide quality health services to its population of more than one million.

However, the Japanese ambassador observed that the growing population has made it difficult for the council to provide adequate health service, hence the grant.

He said: "In particular, the lack of ambulances causes difficulty to deal with urgent patients.

"We are assured that the ambulance provided by the project will be beneficial to the residents particularly those in need."

Oya called on the Lilongwe City Council to provide the required care and maintenance for the ambulance.

According to the ambassador the project is funded by the government of Japan under "the Grant Assistance for Grassroots Human security Projects".

Oya said Japan "will spare no effort to support Malawi to achieve the goal of MW2063".

In his acceptance, Lilongwe Council Mayor, Richard Banda, said he was excited with the grant saying it has come at the right time.

Banda also thanked the Japanese embassy for its continued support to Lilongwe City Council, citing earlier projects such as construction of a health Centre at Biwi, in Lilongwe.

The mayor appealed to other stake holders and development partners to emulate the gesture shown by the Japanese embassy and support the council in a number of areas.

Principal Secretary for Health (Administration) Beston Chisamile, also thanked the Japanese embassy for the grant, saying the Japanese government has always been supportive to the health sector.

Chisamile cited Ulongwe Health Centre in Balaka as one of the projects that the Japanese embassy has contributed to the Ministry.

The PS appealed to the Council to put the ambulance, once imported, so that it serves the intended purpose. 

By Memory Khutuliwa

Blantyre, March 8, Mana; Health experts in Blantyre said limited access to contraceptives and limited information on sexual reproductive health rights (SRHR) and school dropout among teens are major contributing factors to teenage motherhood that are also associated with birth complications.

Director of Health and Youth Services at Blantyre District Council, Gift Kawalazila told   Malawi News Agency on Thursday that Blantyre district has almost 48 percent population of teen mothers as most teenagers who are below 15 are sexually active due to lack of advocacy on sexual reproductive health and cultural beliefs and religious doctrines.

“Blantyre district is experiencing increase of teenage pregnancies due to inadequate reproductive health services at community level which are hindering teen girls in accessing sexual reproductive healthy materials which in long run result to teen pregnancies eventually becoming mothers,” said Kawalazila.

He added that in 2022 the district registered 9,519 cases of teenage mothers while in 2023 the cases rose up to 9,809 as a result of a number of factors ranging from social and cultural norms to lack of correct information on SRHR.

In separate interview, Executive Director for Family Planning Association of Malawi (FPAM) Donald Makwawa said the association observed that limited availability of the services in rural areas, lack of correct information on SRHR are the major factors to teen motherhood.

“As FPAM we are working hand in hand with the Ministry of Health to design information education and communication materials that should raise awareness and create demand for contraceptives which will in turn reduce teenage pregnancies,” he added

He said there is also need to engage religious and traditional leaders on sexual reproductive health so that they should advocate usage of contraceptives among sexually active teens.

The two health experts therefore for asked the review of Youth Friendly Health Services programs to reach out too many youths to deal with teen motherhood.

One of the teen mothers in at Mbayani in Blantyre said she got pregnant at the age of 14 in 2023 while in standard five at a primary in Chilomomi Township.

“My mother did not notice that l was pregnant because she spent most of her times at work. For the first three months’ l was still attending classes and didn’t realize l was pregnant because l was still menstruating but later my neighbor informed me that l was pregnant,” she added.

The girl who has a nine months old baby girl confessed that the got pregnant due to peer pressure and had no access to information on sexual reproductive health.

“It was not easy to give birth. I experience serious complications during labour because l was not yet mature and stronger to give birth as a result, I underwent caesarian section,” she said, adding that she stayed in hospital for more than three weeks for proper recovery.

The girl explained that after recovery, she started routine checkups at her nearest health facility and this is where she accesses information about SRHR to avoid another teen pregnancy.    

By Abubakar Kanjoka

Kasungu, 8th March, Mana: Chairperson for Malawi Peace and Unity Commission (MPUC), Mary Nkosi says it is everyone’s responsibility to ensure that peace prevails in the run up to September 2025 general elections.

Nkosi said this on Thursday at Kachokolo Headquarters, Traditional Authority (T/A) Wimbe in Kasungu during an orientation of members of the newly established Wimbe Area Peace and Unity Committee (APUC).

She said experience shows that conflicts tend to be rampant during elections period, disrupting societal order and leading to destruction of property and loss of lives.

“We are establishing APUCs to help resolve both political and non-political conflicts which may arise, thereby contributing towards peaceful elections and also to ensure that there is peaceful coexistence of people despite their political and other differences.

“We would also like to take this opportunity to urge all the political party leaders and authorities to help preach unity and love amongst followers to foster peace and unity during this time,” Nkosi said.

Senior Chief Wimbe applauded the APUC initiative saying it is the right step towards the creation of peaceful communities where people coexist.

“I would like to make an assurance that the committee will get all the necessary support. There are so many conflicts taking place in the communities such as land and chieftaincy wrangles and political violence which need peaceful resolution.

“With the establishment of this APUC, there is hope that such misunderstandings will be resolved quickly before they graduate into physical confrontations,” Wimbe said.

In his remarks, Vice Chairperson for Kasungu District Peace and Unity Committee (DPUC), Mphatso Mbewe said there are plans to have at least one APUC in every T/A by the end of this year.

With Funding from the Japanese Government through United Nations Development Programme and the Government of Malawi, MPUC is supporting DPUCs in establishing APUCs as grassroot peace structures in TAs.