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| A group photo after the function at Namitambo H. Centre |
As six African First Ladies are joining forces to put mothers and children at the centre of the UN development agenda in New York on Monday to discuss the prospects for meeting the 2015 Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), people in Chiradzulu and Thyolo have asked government to reduce the distance expectant mothers travel in accessing antental services.
Apparently, Pan African Civic Education Network (PACENET) was commemorating this year’s “Stand Up Against Poverty Campaign” in line with the MDGs realisation. The commemoration took place on Friday at Namitambo and Khonjeni Health Centres in Chiradzulu and Thyolo, respectively, under the theme “End maternal mortality and Environmental Degradation”.
Speaking at Namitambo Health Centre, Sub Traditional Authority Mpunga asked government to consider constructing new health centres where women can easily access antenatal as well as postnatal services without having to cover long distances.
Mpunga observed that although antenatal care is very important as it aims at preventing maternal, perinatal mortality and morbidity, the long distance women walk to reach the nearest clinic acts as a detterent to the promotion of safe motherhood.
“Besides, because of lack of enough maternity wings in the country, many clinics are constrained that even if they are well-qualified, midwives cannot ably discharge their duties,” said the chief.
She added: “There is need for government and its development partners to increase the accessibility and availability of health care services for communities in rural areas. Government should also increase financial support towards the purchase of more bicycle ambulances for ferrying mothers from poor households to use health services”.
And in her remarks at Khonjeni Health Centre, Senior Chief Kapichi said it could be meaningless for government and other health experts to encourage women to shun services of the traditional birth attendants (TBAs) when hospitals do not have enough facilities where women can deliver.
A senior official from PACENET, Doreen Chimbwanya, assured the people her organization will take up the matter with relevant authorities to avoid discouraging women who have responded with enthusiasm to the fight against maternal mortality.
“PACENET is committed to bring to the attention of the leadership of this country issues that affect the people at the grassroots. But while we are in the process doing that, we would like to call upon and encourage all expectant mothers in this country to deliver at health centres for your own safety and that of the babies,” said Chimbwanya.
Similar events were held at Chikweo Health Centre in Machinga through a cleaning up exercise of the health inside and outside premises by PACENET members of staff and female aspirants for the local government elections.
Members of staff from PACENET also donated some gifts to mothers who were in the maternity wards of all the three health centres on the day.
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