Communities around Kaporo Rural Health Centre in Karonga have expressed concern over the continued lack of potable water at the facility saying the problem is compromising health service delivery.
The concern comes as health authorities are encouraging hygiene and sanitation to avoid cholera. Karonga was hit hard by the waterborne disease which claimed seven lives duting the rainy season.
According to Nelson Mwakasulo Gerenge who is area development committee chairperson, the lack of water at the facility is leaving patients in danger of catching other diseases.
“When we talk about hygiene first we look at water at health centre and ours does not have potable water and this is risky to parents and guardians as they are at high risk of catching hygiene related diseases,” he said.
He added that due to lack of water, women at the labour ward are compromised as guardians are forced to go out to the communities to fetch water for their patients to clean up after labour.
Concurring with Mwakasulo, group village headman Gweleweta said women are delivering in bad conditions hence the need for health authorities to step in to provide safe and clean water at the facility.
“We are calling upon health Authorities to help us especially for our dear women who are facing difficulties delivering due to absence of water and apart from that we are also at high risk of contracting cholera again as people are forced to fetch water in areas where animals also drink water from,” lamented the chief.
Meanwhile, Karonga District Health Officer (DHO) Dr Phinias Mfune has reassured the communities living around Kaporo Health Centre that in conjunction with the council his office will construct a borehole to ease some of the challenges that the facility faces.
Kaporo Rural Health Centre currently serves over 50,000 people and last month had its pharmacy gutted down by a fire.
