Malawi electricity blackouts underrate safe motherhood efforts

Oct 08, 2016 Health 37
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Malawi Hospitals

Despite efforts to end cases of women dying when giving birth, persistent blackouts in Malawi are reported to have underrated the efforts as a woman in Mzimba district has died due to lack of electricity.

Mzimba hospital spokesperson Ellings Nyirenda has since confirmed the death of the woman who died on Thursday this week as she was to undergo caesarean section due to her condition.

Malawi Hospitals
Blackouts hit hospitals. (Related image – Library. )

Nyirenda added that the woman died as the hospital had no fuel in its generator due to financial woes.

He further disclosed that the hospital is now spending K115,000 for 150 litres of fuel for its genset to supply power to crucial departments at the facility.

Trends on maternal deaths in Malawi indicate that between 2009 and 2012, 675 women died per 100,000 live births; between 2012 and mid-2014,425 women died per 100,000 live births; and that between mid-2014 and to-date the figures have swollen to 465 deaths per 100,000 live births.

The United Nations (UN) believes that 90% of maternal deaths are preventable and it has thus provided varied support to governments and organizations to ensure that mothers are saved.

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37 Comments

  6. This life could have been saved so hospitals have become death traps like our roads 50+years after independence you are thinking of a genset our priorities are up side down

  10. Not only Mzimba, Go to Machinga District Hospital u will be shocked, in every 5patients that could hv been treated @ the Hospital 3 are refered to Zomba and worse still they are using their own transport to go to Zomba… Its all over. BUT on the isue of electricty or opting for generators… Each District Hospital is allocated millions of money each month inform of ORT @ an average of 10million + and u mean from this they can buy fuel to run generators that can run theatres?????.. Its irresponsibility of controlling officers and u can even include the president inthis equation… No!.

    1. Ever head of complaints b4 like this? Hospitals withing the few resources used to cope with black outs using gen sets……..but with the current prolonged black outs its no easy as a manager to keep it running…..in 24hrs u tok of not less than 300 litres of diesel……and yet an ambulance cnt move kusowa same diesel……if it was a blackout fo hrs am sure managers cld handle it….

  16. Mkumalankhula zopusa amalawi akamathawa kukagwila ntchito maiko ena i dnt want my wife to die while she is giving birth in hospital coz of electricity black out atleast i can afford to send her to private with the money i make here thanx to DPP that we are suffering God is watching Mr president Sir

  27. Inde aliyese azafa koma apresident tangofelani komweko muliko chifukwa zinthu kuno nde zawonje,kotelo tisachite kudikila 2019.

  29. I personally don’t care where this man is, whether he’s sick or lost in US I don’t give a damn about that, my only worry is the money he’s spending there. Honestly speaking ” he doesent deserve our tax payers money” it pains us alot to be taxed for him to wast them. There’s nothing he’s for the development of the country apart from stealing and enriching himself and his henchmen. Black outs has become order of the day. These are the signs of a sinking ship. Even himself knows that’s why he’s running away.

    1. Gen sets are already there but with the financial status fuel is a challenge to keep them running! 150 litres in 12hrs is way too much with the little funds hospitals get!

  34. Kuno Magetsi kaya adazima liti kaya, zoti adzayakaso akudziwa ndi akubomako ndi bungwe lawo amalibela ndalamalo la Escom, achila bwanji azimai ku mpeni opanda magetsi? Lero anthu ayamba kufa abwana ali kunja,,,

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