Mother-care groups in Mchinji have asked duty-bearers in the district to construct health posts in remote areas to scale up the uptake of immunisation among under-five children. Established by Malawi Health Equity Network (Mhen) in 2018, the groups have taken the lead in mobilising communities to take children to health facilities to receive vaccination. The volunteers have also facilitated the construction of houses for healthcare workers and health posts.
On Monday, Mhen organised a meeting with councillors and health authorities to discuss how the volunteers were improving access to immunisation in the district. Speaking on behalf of the volunteers, Susan Mbewe said people from Tsamphale in Traditional Authority (T/A) Mlonyeni walk long distances to Mchinji District Hospital to access basic healthcare services. “If we had a health post within the area, more children would be able to access routine immunisation,” she said.
Agatha Khokko, a member of a mother-care group from T/A Mavwere, said they were lobbying for of an under-five clinic, adding that they moulded 20 000 brinks and started building the structure, but the work stalled; hence, appealing for help. On her part, Mhen monitoring and evaluation officer Florence Khonyongwa said the country has the potential to improve immunisation coverage if health posts are constructed within people’s reach. She said volunteers’ advocacy towards construction of permanent out-reach centres has enabled many children in hard-to-reach areas to access immunisation.
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“Therefore, building health posts within reach will help,” said Khonyongwa. Mchinji district environmental health officer Robson Kayira said the volunteers have eased government’s pressure to reach remote areas with immunisation services. Mhen and Centre for Research and Development were implementing a project on immunisation with support from Global Alliance for Vaccines and Immunisation in the district.
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