A night of reality at Malomo

That Malawi health facilities are facing challenges is no longer news.

But when Wezi Malonda, Competition and Fair Trading Commission (CFTC) ,chief executive officer arrived at Malomo Health Centre in Ntchisi for a Nation Publications Limited (NPL) Mother’s Fun Run Sleep Over Challenge on Friday, she was not prepared for the horrifying discovery.

June 29 will arguably remain one of Malonda’s unforgettable nights.

Upon arrival at Malomo, she was met by smiling and friendly faces. She soon discovered that while those smiles were genuine, behind them lay sad tales.

Moving on, Malonda was met by Ntchisi District Health Office (DHO) safe motherhood coordinator Masuzgo Muyila.

“Welcome to the maternity ward,” said Muyila, leading Malonda to the health centre’s maternity ward.

The small room has two beds with torn mattresses, one scale for weighing babies, a sterilisation machine and a manual vacuum extractor.

Muyila explained the challenges that the health facility meets while delivering babies, to which Malonda was constantly surprised.

Said Muyila: “The sterilisation machine is so small. It only takes 10 delivery packs at a time. Again, as you can see, bed space is also a problem here. When we are overwhelmed, some babies are born on the floor.

“A woman can attend three antenatal clinics without having a blood pressure check due to lack of equipment; or the equipment might have no batteries.”

A plastic sheath that every pregnant woman carries to the hospital for use during delivery is the only source of decency for some ladies. It becomes their baby’s first bed; a thin sheet separating their fragile bodies from a floor on a cold day.

But despite the challenges, for the women, nothing is more rewarding than walking out of a hospital with a healthy baby. It is a moment that takes away all the pain and troubles encountered during their pregnancy and giving birth. It is that moment when they even forget the trauma and dehumanising conditions endured in the health facilities.

The same poor conditions that made Malonda ask: “So, what happens with complicated cases?”

The response from Muyila was one that revealed yet more challenges in transportation at the facility.

She said: “The health centre has an ambulance which also serves the district hospital. At times, we use motor bikes for referrals if the ambulance is unavailable. I remember a time when a woman delivered at the car park of Ntchisi Hospital after delays in travelling from this health centre.”

Sadly, the motorbikes are hired at prices too high for rural people, with K25 000 being the cheapest one can get, according to Muyila.

Needless to say, the cost is high for a 30-kilometre distance between the health centre and Ntchisi Boma, where the district hospital is located. But for mothers in need of care, there is little choice.

According to Muyila, the main challenge is the road connecting the two facilities, which is bumpy and difficult to manoeuvre during the rainy season.

With a catchment area of about 46 000 people, Malomo Health Centre woes are bigger than the health facility itself.

These are some of the challenges that moved NPL to identify this health facility and 12 others in the district as beneficiaries of this year’s Mother’s Fun Run, the media house’s annual corporate social responsibility project.

With its partners, NPL plans to raise K150 million for buying equipment for the health facilities.

As a means of raising more funds, NPL started the sleep over challenge where influential women in society spend a night at selected public health facilities to experience challenges that pregnant women encounter when giving birth.

As the tour of the health facility continued, there were more shocking revelations for Malonda, including that few lucky pregnant women can enjoy the comfort of a bed, with the majority finding comfort on the floor.

When it comes to bathing, some pregnant women bath in the open as a guardian at the health centre, Eletina Kasanthi, said.

“Women bath in the open due to the design of the bathroom and toilet. How do you bath next to a smelly toilet? They choose to bath early in the morning,” she said.

During the visit, Malonda donated sugar and bread for the pregnant women.

The women were happy to receive the donation, especially one identified as Kezia, 19, the youngest of the women present.

“Mavuto pachipatala pano ndiosatha koma kukhala ndikumeneku. Mukachitirenso ena, [There are just too many challenges at this hospital, but we commend your gesture.],” she told Malonda with a smile.

On the road back to Lilongwe, Malonda shared her biggest lesson of the night: “As Malawians, we need to embrace the spirit of philanthropy. We need to give to the needy instead of sitting and waiting for government to do it all. This is a good initiative being run by NPL.

“I knew women are struggling when giving birth but I did not expect it to be this much. I have been challenged, it’s an experience I will live to tell but not the experiences of those women, those harsh realities of life. This was my night of horror.”

This year’s Mother’s Fun Run will be held in Ntchisi in October. n