By Steve Chirombo

Dedza, March 22, Mana: Members of the Gender Technical Working Group (GTWG) under Dedza District Council on Friday commemorated International Women’s Day (IWD) with patients in antenatal, female and children’s wards at Dedza district hospital with a call to think outside the box when commemorating the day.

Dedza District Council, Gender and Development Officer (GDO), Lisnet Kathyole, said their visit to the facility followed a series of previous convergence in commemorating the day in which women from various backgrounds participated.

“This left behind women such as these who can’t take part due to their vulnerability. Hence, our decision this time around to come here so we can celebrate together the day,” said Kathyole.

The council’s GDO further said their visit to the facility, gave them another direction to consider when commemorating the day describing it as a learning point.

“Moving forward we will plan our activities in a way that there are people out there who need our interventions but they can’t due to their conditions.

“As we talk of IWD, let us also talk of women which is another area that we can plan for our future interventions,” she emphasized.

One of the women in the antenatal ward, Loveness Fideli, from Chilindaukwe village in Traditional Authority Kasumbu, expressed gratitude to the GTWG members for the assistance saying it will cover some gaps.

“We are eating once a day here and most of us do not have food of our own. This is a bailout to us,” she said.

On her part, Veronica Kamwendo, Senior Nursing Officer who is also Dedza district hospital Matron thanked the members for the donation saying it will help improve the lives of patients at the facility.

Kamwendo said some patients are unable to afford some basic necessities and that the donated ones would help them cover the gaps.

“Patients here lack a lot of things and it is our plea to other well-wishers to come forward and help us,” she stated.

Over 110 patients in all three wards were reached with each one of them getting a pack containing items like sugar, salt, flour, soya pieces and soap which were purchased to the tune of around K1.2 million.

The event in Dedza was made possible with support from the Gender Office, the Gender Justice Unit (GJU), the Catholic Commission for Justice and Peace (CCJP) and Self Help Africa (SHA).

 The global day celebrates women’s social, economic, cultural, and political achievements.

It also recognises achievements and calls for action to accelerate progress towards gender parity.