Phalula Health Centre in Balaka has expressed concern over shortage of health workers and other medical resources at the facility saying the shortage affects day to day delivery of antenatal and other emergency health services.
Phalula Health Centre Facility In-Charge, Bernadetta Kwakwala, said the facility which operates under Christian Health Association of Malawi (CHAM) has only seven nurses who operate in various departments of the facility.
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She said this Monday when Applied Development Communication and Training Services (ADECOTS) conducted a community entry meeting with Area Development Committee (ADC) under Traditional Authority (TA) Phalula on the Zikutivuta Pati Health project which aims at uncovering challenges that hinder provision of health service delivery in Balaka.
“We need well trained clinicians, hospital attendants and laboratory technicians who should help provide high standard medical care to people. This facility serves communities from TAs Phalula and Phimbi in Balaka and others in some parts of Ntcheu and Neno districts.
“This simply means that the work we do and resources we have do not match with the population we serve despite the subsidised medical service fee that people pay to access services,” said Kwakwala.
She added that Phalula Health Centre, which is located along Zalewa Road, receives many emergency cases from road accidents.
Kwakwala, therefore, appealed to non-governmental organisations (NGOs) and other development partners to intervene on the matter, saying the current support from government is not enough to support an estimated number of over 24 women who give birth per week at the facility.
Shadreck Mackenzie, who represented TA Phalula, said the situation has affected his area, saying the facility has one ambulance apart from having few medical personnel.
“We are asking government, NGOs and other well-wishers to help us on this matter. As leaders, we believe in leading health and strong communities that contribute to overall national development,” he added.
ADECOTS District Manager, Brian Banda, said the matter was raised at the right time as the project’s goal is to uncover some of the challenges that affect delivery of quality medical services in Balaka.
He added that the Zikutivuta Pati Health initiative will, among others, use a Social Behavioral Change Communication (SBCC) approach to help all parties in the health sector to bring out issues that affect provision of quality health services and find solutions.
Funded by UNICEF, the initiative will be implemented in phases for four years starting from May 2025 to May 2028 in TAs Nsamala, Kalembo, Phalula, Amidu and Mbera, among others.
