Mhen strengthens health facility systems
Health facility advisory committees (HFAC) from Chimatiro and Kuitanda in Balaka have been urged to be proactive in their roles and responsibilities in monitoring drugs through HFAC sub-committees to improve perception on and reducing drug leakages.
Speaking in an interview, Malawi Health Equity Network (Mhen) project officer for programme partnership agreement (PPA), Davies Mwachumu, said HFAC could influence good working relationship between health workers and service beneficiaries.
“Community support for health services and health centre development has enabled communities of Chimatiro and Kuitanda to mold bricks on their own for construction of maternity wards,” Mwachumu said.
He said Mhen helped people of Chimatiro and Kuitanda, in particular and the whole country in general, lobby for increased and accountable allocation to the health sector.
Daudi Nduta, Chimatiro Health Advisory Committee chair, said lack of electricity, lack of water resources and hospital resources are some of the challenges crippling Chimatiro Health Centre.
“We don’t have a maternity wing as a result most women give birth in hospital veranda and the size of the health post does not tally with the number of beneficiaries so we need to expand it,” Nduta said.
He said shortage of hospital staff especially medical assistants is hampering operations at the health centre.
Community around Chimatiro has so far molded and burnt over 70,000 bricks for construction of a maternity wing and due to unavailability of water, HFAC drew up a schedule where community members fetch water from a nearby well to be used at the health post.
Mhen, a membership organisation with over 60 NGOs and individual members was established in 2004 with core business of evidence based advocacy for pro-poor policies within the health sector. Mhen is implementing enhanced community health through increased and accountable resourcing of HIV and Aids, maternal and new born care services in Malawi with funding from Christian Aid.
