In another dramatic twirl of investigations, Malawi24 has established that pregnant women are sharing a waiting room with men at Mzenga health center in Nkhatabay district.
This has been the case owing to absence of a maternity wing at the facility from the time it was established to date.
In our recent visit, women described the situation as worrisome, citing that it is usually a taboo in an African setting for people of opposite gender to be sharing one roof.
Some men equally confided that the situation is irksome, because the environment is not only embarrassing but also puts at risk both them and the women.
James Saka told our reporter that despite him being a patient, sharing a room with women becomes very tempting, especially at night.
“We were created very different, thus it doesn’t really matter being a patient, I sometimes get the sexual urge or flirt with the women who are mostly married,” confessed Saka.
Gertrude Banda, a pregnant woman, shared Saka’s sentiments citing the situation makes them think treacherously.
She then urged authorities to consider reacting on the issue quickly so that the situation may change for the betterment of both male and female patients at the facility.
“It’s not normal to be sharing this room with men because naturally, one feels sexually allured to the opposite sex,” she testified.
However, former legislator, for the constituency, David Kaweche unveiled that he already funded the construction of the maternity wing at the facility.
He claimed that while in power, he bought about 300 bags of cement, 200 iron sheets and about 70 beds and the wing project was earmarked to commence the same year he was elected out of power.
“In fact, I already discussed the matter with authorities at the district council who promised me that they were equally ready to design the layout of the whole project,” said Kaweche.
Efforts to buy his version of the same story, the present legislator, was not available for comment.
On his part, Nkhatabay district commissioner, Alex Mdooko brushed aside such claims, citing he was not aware of the whole project.
