Member of Parliament for Dowa East constituency, Richard Chimwendo Banda, has assured people that the government remains committed to ensuring that Malawians have access to good quality health services.
He made the remarks on Wednesday at Kalinda in Senior Chief Chiwere, where he commissioned the construction of Kalinda health post to be financed by the Malawi government.
Banda said people should not travel long distances to access a health facility.
“This is a problem as it puts at risk the lives of patients in need of health care. It also becomes expensive to travel. And instead of focusing on developmental issues, people spend time travelling to hospitals, which is detrimental to development.
“As such, many have been deprived of health services. That is why the government has committed to making sure there is a health facility at least every five kilometers, and we are excited that now people at Kalinda will have their own health facility,” said Banda.
Banda, who is also Minister of Local Government, Unity and Culture, said the health post, to be constructed by Castel Construction and Steel Engineering company, comes with full requirements of a health post, including staff houses.
This, he said, will also motivate health workers as well as ensure that people always have access to a medical practitioner, including during the night.
He, however, urged the contractor to ensure the project runs in its designated time.
“I do not want to see you delaying the work; that will be unacceptable because this is a lifesaving development and people have waited for this project for a long time,” said Banda.
Banda then assured people in the area of continued development.
Kalinda health post is expected to serve around 13,000 people from its catchment.
In total, the government is constructing three health posts in the district, with the other two at Chibvala and Kalulu in Traditional Authority Nkukula, at a combined cost of around K2.829 billion.
Speaking at the event, Chief Quantity Surveyor in the Ministry of Health, Francis Chigalu, stated that each health post will include three consultation rooms, storage facilities, an office, a waiting area, an immunization room, an antenatal room, and a drug store. Additionally, each facility will have an incinerator and a waste management system.
The two modern houses at each facility will have three bedrooms, tiles, ceilings water connections, electricity wiring and septic tanks.
Both the hospital and staff houses will also have their own complementary boreholes and pit latrines.
Senior Group Kalinda in her remarks thanked the government for choosing Kalinda to benefit from the three health posts.
“We faced a lot of challenges, like getting medical attention in time because we depended on health facilities at Chezi, Nalunga and Dowa boma which are very far.
“But now we are happy since we assured that we will be treated right here when we are sick. This is good for development,” she said.
