By Wanangwa Tembo

Kasungu, May 19, Mana: Malawi Health Equity Network (MHEN) Assistant Projects Officer, Herbert Chakwawa, has hailed mother care groups (MCGs) in Kasungu for constructing houses for Health Surveillance Assistants (HSAs), a development he says has helped to promote access to immunisation services in communities.

MEHN, together with the Ministry of Health, is implementing a Health Systems and Immunisation Strengthening project to contribute towards the achievement of Malawi health targets for Sustainable Development Goals of ending preventable deaths of newborns and children under five years of age by 2030.

Through the project, MEHN has trained the MCGs which advocate for improved healthcare services in communities by mobilizing resources for construction of under-five clinics and health staff houses in hard to reach areas.

Speaking on Monday during a training for Dunda MCG members in the area of Senior Chief Njombwa in Kasungu, Chakwawa said most of the MCGs in the district have managed to construct houses for HSAs who are responsible for providing immunisation services.

“When HSAs stay far away from clinics, it disturbs the provision of vaccination services because of logistical challenges.  The HSAs may not have transport or it may be raining and they fail to show up.

“With the houses that MCGs have managed to construct, HSAs stay right there at the clinic, meaning they are available all the time to attend to such matters,” Chakwawa said.

He added that through the interventions of the MCGs, there have been reduced barriers to equitable and quality immunisation to communities in remote areas.    

“The project aims at achieving participatory health governance to ensure that barriers to immunisation are reduced, and to strengthen the capacity of integrated health systems to deliver immunisation by resolving health constraints.

“So far, we have managed to improve access, quality and utilization of essential health package, especially immunisation, focusing on populations systematically missed due to geographical, socio-economic and cultural barriers,” he said.

Community Midwife Assistant for Dunda Health Post, Memory Khumbanyiwa, also lauded the MCGs for constructing the house, saying it has reduced the troubles of commuting from Bua Health Centre, a 20-kilometre round trip.

Chairperson for Dunda MCG, Christina Salangwa, thanked MEHN for training the community structures to help in mobilization for immunisation.

Kasungu has 30 MCGs operating in the most rural communities.