Mangochi councillor against maternal mortality rate

Yusuf Kusweje, councillor for Thundu Ward in Mangochi Central Constituency in Mangochi, has handed over five bicycle ambulances in his ward to ease transportation of pregnant mothers as well as other sick people to the district hospital.

The donation comes after several complaints from the chiefs and community leaders that the area was registering unnecessary deaths due to delays to take patients to the hospital as the road network is in bad shape.

In an interview after presenting the bicycle ambulances at group village head Chisambamnopa in Traditional Authority (T/A) Mponda’s area, Kusweje urged the communities to seek medical attention in time to avert maternal and neonatal deaths.

“The bicycle ambulances are meant to ease mobility challenges pregnant women as well as other sick people were experiencing,” he said.

“It pains me to hear that a certain woman has died on her way to Mangochi District Hospital, or to hear that a certain person has died due to failure to reach the hospital on time.”

To this effect, he urged the communities to take care of the ambulances for them to last long.

In his remarks, Chief Chisambamnopa lauded the politician for bailing them out at a time when the situation was dire.

Kusweje sourced the K2 million bicycle ambulances from Community Initiative for Self Reliance (Ciser), a non-governmental organisation.