Lives of up to 37 000 rural and poor people in Salima are at risk due to shortage of drugs and staff at Lifuwu and Chipoka health centres, The Nation has learnt.
One medical assistant is serving 25 000 people at Chipoka while another is attending to 12 000 people at Lifuwu. Both work long hours and seven days a week, a development the Ministry of Health has described as one of the challenges our health sector is facing.
Lifuwu Health Centre, located 40 kilometres from the Salima District Hospital
and serves communities in traditional authorities Maganga and Bibi Kuluunda, has had no supply of drugs for the month of July.
“I have been here for one week and I have been given a prescription to buy drugs elsewhere but I don’t have the money and I can’t walk long distance with my sick child,” said Manifa Saidi from Maganga’s area.
There are only two nurses at the health centre and they work 12 hours throughout the week, one medical assistant on call 24 hours throughout the year in all departments including out-patient, emergency, maternity and the HIV unit.
The story of Lifuwu is almost similar to that of Chipoka Health Centre which has one medical officer assisted by three nurses and serves 25 000 people in surrounding communities.
Traditional Authority Ndindi said of the situation at Chipoka: “The people at the [health centre] try their best, but they get the low drug supply, they work 24 hours of everyday and they don’t seem to have a time to rest.”
The medical officer said rural hospitals face many challenges, citing controversies in supplementary allowances such as Locum where drivers get more than medical assistants.
Malawi Health Equity Network National coordinator Martha Kwataine Saturday said drug shortages and overworked staff are “very common in rural areas” and appealed to government to move fast to reform the drug supply systems.
Principal Secretary in the ministry Chris Kang’ombe said the problem of drugs is mainly due to late orders by the health centres or district health offices.
On staffing, he said there is an emergency training programme for health personnel(source)
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