Public health facilities including a delivery hall and staff premises are to be constructed where the Hunger Project is located at Chikwawa District around Nchalo. Hunger Project will facilitate the project at the cost of K102 million. The investment is good news for the people within the vicinity of Nchalo who have stayed for a long time without proper and affordable health facilities. It will be a significant relief to them given the fact that most pregnant mothers in the area were not in a position to pay for the services at St Montfort Hospital and instead cover 27 kilometers to access free health services at the district hospital.
The Hunger Project Director Mr. Lawland Kaotcha reports that the area around Nchalo will soon have a fully equipped health facility. The facility will bring closer the critical health services like sexual and reproductive closer to the citizens. Groundbreaking was carried out on November 10th 2017 hence giving way for construction works to start.
A memorandum of understanding was signed between the Health Ministry, local authority and Hunger Project which will specify the roles each party is expected to play and to make sure the tasks are adequately fulfilled; this was done on Friday during the launch of the project.
Most pregnant women in Malawi deliver traditionally without any professional medical attention given hence are subjecting them to risk of death. Kaotcha expressed their need in supporting the government in improving the livelihood of the citizens. Dr. Malangizo Mbewe who is the quality manager in the health ministry applauded the project initiators for the step taken stating that the initiative is going to improve the health sector as a whole. He proposed to the organization to buy an ambulance to help the facility in carrying out referrals once opened.
Dr. Malangizo Mbewe sensitized women on the need of using contraceptives to reduce the birth rates hence having children that one can easily take care of by providing the necessary needs without straining. The district chairperson put it straight that the project will assist in reducing the cases of natal and post-natal deaths by a more significant percentage. An Australian organization is to facilitate the construction of maternity hall and some staff squatters.
