1. Posted on Tuesday 12 June 2012 - 10:31

   ---

   madalitso

   

   • Profile
   • 136 messages

   ---

   Madalitso Kateta, AfricaNews reporter in Blantyre, Malawi

   Weak and shaking with the June cold weather, Zeferia Msipu braves the 12km ride in the clouded ambulance to Neno District Hospital. Pressed against other 14 passengers in a car that would feel clouded with eight, She still has to make this painful journey on the bumpy gullied road if she has to keep on living a healthy life.

   

   Being HIV positive, Msipu looks a bit malnourished but still she has some reason to smile as she is lucky to access high quality HIV services from the district health facility as well as at Lisungwi Community Hospital which is just within her home area.
   
   While there is a clinic that proved HIV services including Anti-Retroviral Treatment within her village, Msipu has to travel to the main hospital to have her regular CD4 count taken as per her treatment plan.
   
   This afternoon Lunch will only be some cooked cassava enjoyed with some fresh tangerines. After accessing her services she will have to wait until later in the afternoon when an ambulance will descend to Lisungwi in another horrible ride.
   
   Despite all this horrible experience, Msipu just like many patients in this southern Malawian district still has some reason to be happy as she has some assurance that she will get quality specialized HIV treatment from the hospital.
   
   Unlike the many patients that tested positive to HIV before 2005 when American Charity Partners in Health started operating in the district patients like Zeferia still have some hope as they are assured of quality HIV treatment services.
   
   However many patients in this remote Malawian district are worried with the poor road network which they say is affecting the effective health delivery systems.
   
   “The quality services we get at the hospital have made many people to start seeking HIV counselling and testing however we are very worried with the long distances we at times have to travel to Neno when in need of specific services, “she said.
   
   
   
   Msipu’s fears echoes those of Angella Letizia Projects Manager for Partners in Health in Neno.
   Letizia said PIH has been operating in Neno since 2005 and has successfully initiated over 4000 patients on ART with a less than 10 percent death rate.
   
   However Letizia bemoans the bad road net work which she said was affecting the effective management of health systems in Neno.
   
   “While we have managed to successfully put over 4000 patients on anti-retroviral treatment our major concern has been the poor road network which is affecting our operations in the district, “she said.
   
   Sam Njolomole external relations manager for the American charity said the bad roads were a very worrying factor in the implementation of their services.
   
   “Ambulances take long to reach the main hospital and we have cases where patients have died because they did not reach the hospital in time, “he said.
   
   Njolomole said patients coming from long distances have to travel a day before their appointment day to get medication.
   
   Neno is not the only district in Malawi where patients are facing the law deal of travelling long distances to access medical care. Just like Neno, Ntchisi district is one of the districts where patients travel long distances to access quality medical care.
   
   Doreen Nyondo, midwife nurse at Malomo Health Centre in Ntchisi said in an interview many women in Malomo fail to access neonatal services due the long distances they travel to reach the clinic.
   
   She said some of the women at times fail to make it to the health centre and have been reported delivering their children on their way to the clinic.
   
   Nyondo said while the clinic has witnessed a development in the health seeking behaviour of pregnant women from the time the Malawi Health Equity Network started implementing a health service delivery project in the district, patients were still facing the law deal of travelling long distances to a health facility.
   
   “Pregnant women in our catchment area now understand the importance of attending to neonatal clinics however the long distances these women travel to a health establishment makes it difficult for them to access the service, “she said.
   
   Some patients that Journaids interviewed at the Malomo Health Centre said they had travelled from Kamba and Chasolo villages which are some 18 to 21km from the clinic.
   
   “Patients from villages like Kamba and Chasolo depart their homes at around one in the morning and arrive here at four, “said Stella Denis in interview.
   
   
   
   Thokozani Mukhuna Senior Medical Assistant at Malomo Health Centre said that noticing that some patients were travelling long distances, he starts working at as early as four in the morning so that they can access the medical services.
   
   “Realizing that some of these patients are travelling long distances and are usually at the clinic at as early as one in the morning I have been starting work at four in the morning so that these people that travel long distances have to be treated in time for their travel back home, “he said.
   
   He said that the challenge with the arrangement was that it never gave him chance to adequately rest and he at times attends to patients while very tired.
   
   “I at times attend to patients very tired, but as a professional and at the same time a human being I feel concerned to see a patient that is seeking my services suffering, “he said.
   
   He said at times he has to attend to 200 to 300 patients in a twelve hour work day.
   
   Mukhuna said that while the staff at the clinic is trying its best to meet the patients demand, the current staffing levels at the health centre would not meet the demands of the population of over 50,000 patients that are within the hospitals catchment area.
   
   However, Mukhuna was optimistic that things will soon change following the access to health service project that the Malawi Health Equity Network (MEHN) are doing in the district.
   
   The MEHN access to health care services has since had some positive impacts as was witnessed by the improvement in the patient doctor relationship.
   
   “When I was just coming in the area the relationship between the community and hospital staff was very bad, such that at certain points I some hospital staff were beaten, but the access to health services project MEHN is implementing has changed the situation, “he said.
   
   Meanwhile, the village health facility advisory committee at Malomo says it is satisfied with the way the services are being offered at the clinic.
   
   However the committee members interviewed said they were very concerned that the health facility does not have adequate medical equipments.
   
   Staliko Kamthuzi, Chairperson of the committee said it was shocking to see that the health facility was lucking simple utilities like mattresses at its wards in the maternity wing.
   
   “The community has for the recent past been having very good working relationships with the staff at the hospital and we are now only worried of the state of the hospital, “he said.

   ---

   ---

Reactions

1. Posted on Wednesday 13 June 2012 10:37

   ---

   diana_taylor

   

   
   1 berichten
   Lid sinds June 2012

   ---

   Bad roads are the main obstacle and government should take immediate actions to repair.Because of lack of aid facility, hospitals at distant places many people lose their life.There is a need of improvement in patient doctor relationship.
   
   Regards,
   Diana Taylor
   used forklifts southern california

   ---

   ---

2. Posted on Friday 02 November 2012 08:40

   ---

   ManuelSoscia32

   

   
   164 berichten
   Lid sinds November 2012

   ---

   Outstanding post, you have pointed out some great details, I besides conceive this is a very great website. vigrx plus Some genuinely interesting information, well written and broadly user genial.

   ---

   ---

3. Posted on Thursday 08 November 2012 04:12

   ---

   PatRatermann37

   

   
   138 berichten
   Lid sinds November 2012

   ---

   Definitely imagine that which you said. Your favorite reason seemed to be on the net the easiest factor to remember of. I say to you, I certainly get annoyed whilst other people think about worries that they just don't recognize about. You managed to hit the nail upon the highest as smartly|well|neatlyand outlined out the entire thing without having side-effects , folks could take a signal. Will probably be again to get more. Thanks! vigrx plus It's perfect time to make some plans for the long run and it's time to be happy. I've learn this publish and if I could I wish to recommend you some fascinating issues or suggestions. Maybe you can write subsequent articles regarding this article. I desire to learn even more issues about it!

   ---

   ---

4. Posted on Friday 09 November 2012 01:25

   ---

   randyjames

   

   
   260 berichten
   Lid sinds October 2012

   ---

   I am constantly thought about this, regards for putting up. vimax I'm very happy to read this. This is the type of manual that needs to be given and not the accidental misinformation that's at the other blogs. Appreciate your sharing this greatest doc.

   ---

   ---

5. Posted on Wednesday 05 December 2012 05:17

   ---

   PatRatermann37

   

   
   138 berichten
   Lid sinds November 2012

   ---

   fantastic publish, very informative. I'm wondering why the opposite specialists of this sector don't understand this. You must proceed your writing. I'm confident, you've a great readers' base already! vigrx plus Its such as you learn my thoughts! You appear to grasp a lot about this, such as you wrote the ebook in it or something. I believe that you just can do with a few p.c. to power the message home a little bit, but instead of that, that is fantastic blog. A fantastic read. I will certainly be back.

   ---

   ---

6. Posted on Monday 17 December 2012 11:42

   ---

   tonysatrio

   

   
   217 berichten
   Lid sinds December 2012

   ---

   However many patients in this remote Malawian district are worried with the poor road network which they say is affecting the effective health delivery systems.
   Vimax Brunei
   Vimax

   ---

   ---

7. Posted on Thursday 17 January 2013 04:03

   ---

   PatRatermann37

   

   
   138 berichten
   Lid sinds November 2012

   ---

   My spouse and i still can not quite think that I could end up being one of those reading through the important guidelines found on your blog. My family and I are truly thankful on your generosity and for providing me the advantage|opportunity|possibility|potentialthe chance to pursue our chosen profession path. Thank you for the important information I managed to get from your website. does male enhancement work You got a very fantastic website, Sword lily I detected it through yahoo.

   ---

   ---

8. Posted on Monday 04 February 2013 05:37

   ---

   WileyRhodd20

   

   
   149 berichten
   Lid sinds November 2012

   ---

   Regards for helping out, fantastic information. viagrx Thanks for the sensible critique. Me & my neighbor were just preparing to do a little research on this. We got a grab a book from our area library but I think I learned more clear from this post. I'm very glad to see such fantastic info being shared freely out there.

   ---

   ---

9. Posted on Thursday 07 February 2013 09:55

   ---

   RosarioBaugus80

   

   
   131 berichten
   Lid sinds February 2013

   ---

   I like this website it's a master piece! Glad I observed this on google. vigrx plus ingredients Excellent post. I was checking constantly this weblog and I'm impressed! Extremely helpful info specifically the last part I maintain such information much. I was looking for this certain information for a very long|lengthy time. Thanks and best of luck.

   ---

   ---