Malawi: Executive Director of Women for Fair Development (WOFAD), Apostle Lindiwe Matanya has applauded Mdeka Mother Care Group. The group was responsible for constructing an under-five clinic.
The aim for constructing the new health center was for growth monitoring and immunization at Traditional Authority (TA) Chigaru in Blantyre. The WOFAD director made these remarks during Mother Care Group Training at Mdeka Health Centre on Wednesday.
The event was organized by the Malawi Health Equity Network (MHEN) and served as the platform for the mother group to be trained in their various responsibilities
Mdeka Mother Care Group has shown commitment and dedication by constructing sheds for an under-five clinic. The facility will help in monitoring child growth and immunization in Malifa and Masinde Villages.
In turn, this would lead to better access to immunization activities in the area for the parents of children under five years of age.
“What Mdeka Mother Care Group has done gives a clear indication that there is very good coordination between the group and the health surveillance assistants (HSAs), Matanya said.
One of the members of Mdeka Mother Care Group from Yesaya Village Elube Bisaye sspoke of the journey of the group. According to her, the group managed to source money through chiefs, Members of Parliament (MPs) and other Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) which operate in the area for construction of the sheds.
“We have achieved to build a brick shed which is used for under five clinics for growth monitoring and immunization in Chelifa and Masinde Villages and currently we have moulded bricks for two sheds which will be constructed soon in Grant and Mtambalika Villages,” she added.
When construction of these sheds are complete, as a group we request District Health Office (DHO) through Blantyre District Council to send us some Health Surveillance Assistants (HSAs) to assist us with the required immunization services, Bisaye said.
A member of the group from Chelifa Village, Esther Chisangazi said the construction of the under-five shelters by M’deka Mother Care Group was a big relief to communities, mothers in particular.
“We are able to get Tetanus Vaccine and all routine immunizations for our children, we used to travel very long distances to Mdeka Health Centre and because of the long distances many mothers were failing to attend these clinics and caused the skipping of immunization, she said.
MHEN project started in 2015 as a pilot and currently targets Blantyre, Lilongwe, Mchinji, Dowa, Ntchisi, Kasungu and Mzimba with the aim at promoting health issues including Expanded Programme on Immunization.
It was funded by Global Alliance Vaccine immunization (GAVI) through the Ministry of Health.
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