Senior Group Village Headman (SGVH) Khuwi in Ntchisi has hailed the provision of the placenta and ash pits at Khuwi Health Centre by WaterAid Malawi in Ntchisi.
He said this Monday during a WaterAid Malawi Media briefing on projects are being supported Wimbledon Foundation in partnership with WaterAid Malawi.
Khuwi said the facilities have helped the communities to change their traditional belief that once a woman gives births at a health facility would have their placentas used for various rituals.
“We have seen rise in numbers of women giving birth at the facility and communities have stood firm to encourage expectant mothers to utilize the health facility,” he explained.
Khuwi added that before WaterAid Malawi came to the facility a lot of women were giving birth in their homes which were posing a lot of danger to their lives.
“We developed by-laws to ensure that deliveries are done in the health facility and that if anyone deliveries at home will be subjected to a fine of K12, 000. With that in place, we have seen significant change to the approach by our communities,” the SGVH narrated.
He express gratitude to WaterAid Malawi for the provisions at the Health Centre adding that this has help to reduce maternal death among women in the area.
Khuwi Health Centre Facility In-Charge, Joy Ngulube said the construction of the placenta and ash pits at the facility has helped in waste management and hygiene promotion.
She said the facility staff has a safe means of disposing highly infectious materials from the facility in order to control the spray of various diseases.
Ngulube said the installing of additional water tanks at the facility by WaterAid Malawi has helped to improved water supply.
“Water is very essential to health workers and each department of the faculty requires steady follow of water in order to control the spread of diseases. We had Cholera
outbreak recently, I can safely say the area around the facility had not problems with the outbreak because communities were able to utilize the water supply from the facility.
Chairperson for Health Centre Management Committee (HCMC) for Khuwi Health Centre, Difati Sekani said WaterAid Malawi activities at the facility have helped promote hygiene practices to the communities.
He said communities are now able to share good hygiene practices during morning health talks at the facility.
Programme Officer for WaterAid Malawi, Laston Zungu said his organization upgraded the water supply system at the facilities using solar powered energy.
He said the facility had 5,000 litres water capacity and an additional 10,000 litres tank was installed in order to boast water supply.
Khuwi Health Centre has a catchment of 33, 042.
