Lack of electricity affecting service delivery

Lack of electricity at Chiwamba Health Centre in the area of Chief Chimutu in Lilongwe District is said to be negatively affecting health service delivery.

Communities around the health centre expressed their concern during an interface meeting organised by Centre for Youth Development and Social Empowerment (CYDSE), a local non-governmental organisation (NGO) working in the area.

The community members wondered why there is still no electricity at the facility, five years after the area was electrified under the Malawi Rural Electrification Programme (Marep).

Chiwamba Health Centre receives over 3 000 patients and conducts 100 deliveries a month, according to senior health surveillance assistant Chancy Banda.

Member of Parliament (MP) for Lilongwe North East Maxwell Thyolera has since promised to electrify the health centre using money from the Constituency Development Fund (CDF).

“We have had several assurances from the district health office to assist, but there is still no electricity at the health centre, hence, the decision to use funds from the CDF,” said Thyolera in an interview.

CYDSE executive director Nephtale Chizongo said the interface meeting was organised to create awareness and sensitise the communities while empowering them to know their rights, roles and responsibilities.

The meeting was organised with funding from Tilitonse Fund.