By Abubakar Kanjoka

Kasungu, February 28, Mana: District Environmental Health Officer (DEHO) for Kasungu, Rudolf Zimkanda Banda, has stressed the need to have more Mother Care Groups (MCGs) in hard to reach areas to help create demand for vaccination uptake among children in the district.

He made the remarks on Wednesday in Kasungu when Malawi Equity Health Network (MEHN) interfaced with health stakeholders on its four-year ‘Health System and Immunisation’ Project.

The project focuses on imparting MCGs with knowledge and expertise on how they can advocate, track and register under five children for vaccination so as to improve access, quality and utilisation of vaccines and immunisation.

Zimkanda said that since the establishment of 33 MCGs under the immunisation project, the district has achieved 80 percent immunization levels amongst under five children.

He said: “We appreciate the voluntary work that these MCGs are doing in encouraging mothers to take their under five children for vaccination. This has largely boosted the immunisation coverage and helped the district to record a decrease in diseases that affect children, such as measles and whooping cough.

“We would want to reach more than 90 percent of children, and this can easily be achieved if more of such MCGs are established to help advocate and create more demand in the communities.”

Council Chairperson for Kasungu, Mwambilaso Mbedza, commended the project, saying it has helped to build capacity for women through the formulated MCGs.

She said she will lobby for funds for the construction of more health facilities to reduce distances that people travel to seek healthcare services in the district.

One of the MCGs representatives, Sarah Munthali from Kavukula MCG, commended the engagement, stating that it has given them a chance to air out challenges which they encounter in executing their voluntary duties of promoting good health in the district.

“I am happy that all responsible parties are here today, and it is my hope that the issues that have been raised will be tackled and that we will be assisted with materials, such as safety boots and bicycles for easy transportation,” she said.

MHEN is implementing the ‘Health System and Immunisation’ project in nine districts, including Kasungu, where the initiative is being implemented in conjunction with Good Health Organisation.