By Memory Chatonda
Blantyre, January 17, Mana: Communities in Blantyre have expressed happiness with the construction of Chipande Health Centre in the area of Traditional Authority (T/A) Machinjiri, which is expected to serve about 18,000 people.
Blantyre District Health Office (DHO) has also rehabilitated a maternity wing at Makata Health Centre in T/A Makata in the district.
Both facilities are set to open on Monday January 21 next week, according to the Blantyre DHO spokesperson, Chrissy Banda.
Speaking during the final preparatory meeting at Makata Health Centre on Friday, Group Village Head Chilipa under T/A Makata said he was happy that mothers with under-five children and pregnant women will now access essential health care services close to their homes.
"Previously, pregnant women used to deliver in transit because they couldn't endure traveling to Mlambe Hospital due to the long distances, but the rehabilitation of the maternity wing is a relief to them and will also help prevent needless deaths," said Chilipa, who represented T/A Makata.
On the other hand, T/A Machinjiri said receiving critical health services and treatment for common illnesses when one was sick was a "nightmare", as his subjects relied on hospitals that are far from his area for treatment.
Machinjiri, therefore, expressed gratitude to the District Health Office for its decision to have the Chipande health facility constructed in the area to ease the challenge.
However, he advised his subjects to guard against any sort of vandalism of the facility to benefit them now and for future generations.
Blantyre DHO spokesperson, Chrissy Banda concurred with the communities in the two T/As that for a long time they have been longing for a well-equipped health facility in their respective areas, noting that only healthy people can contribute positively to national development.
Banda also observed that the DHO's quest to provide health care services to improve the health and well-being of people signifies that Blantyre District Council is moving in line with Malawi 2063 development aspirations.
From Monday, Makata Health Centre, built in 2007, will be offering maternity services in addition to already existing services offered such as OPD services, antenatal care, under-five clinic services such as vaccinations and growth monitoring and HIV testing to about 41,650 people.
The works for the two facilities have been financially supported by the government and a well-wisher, Claus Chikufenji who contributed about MK500 million through Akonda Ministries International Organization.
