Communities around Malomo Health Centre in Ntchisi have asked government to resolve the water crisis at the health facility.

The request was made at an interface meeting dubbed ‘Bwalo la Nzika’ organised by Parent and Child Health Initiative (PACHI).

The aim of the meeting was to seek answers from the authorities why some development activities in the area have stalled.

One member of the community, Gift Kapalamula, said Malomo Health Centre has had no water for some time, forcing the health facility to use water from the borehole meant for the community.

Kapalamula said the situation has resulted in long queues as people from both, the community and those from the health centre draw water from the same borehole.

“This problem is giving us headache as to how safe we will be from COVID-19 since there is no water at the health centre.

“It’s our wish that this problem be rectified in the soonest time so that we be protected from this pandemic COVID-19,” said Kapalamula.

Commenting on the matter, Director of Health and Social Services for Ntchisi District, Dr. Lumbani Munthali acknowledged the water problem at the health facility.

Munthali said as Ntchisi District Health Office, they are trying to have the problem rectified.

He said an organisation called Amref Health Africa-Malawi has helped them with a pump to replace the one that got burnt sometime back which led to the water crisis at the health centre.

“Our friends AMREF helped us with a pump to tap water to the facility, but the pipes meant to carry water to the hospital are faulty.

“We tried also to tap electricity from the nearby building and it worked. Currently, we are thinking of using electricity as a short term measure while identifying a possible long term plan,” he said.

PACHI District Coordinator, Angella M’bawa said her organisation’s worked to ask duty bearers on issues that affect the community and possibly come up with solutions to those issues.

She said ‘Bwalo la Nzika’ empowers the citizens to take their roles on how they can manage their development activities within the area.

To duty bearers, M’bawa said the project wants to ensure that they are responsible on their role as they implement their activities in the area.

Source: MANA