Women groups under Nkhaza Toto Movement in Phalombe district have questioned authorities from Police and district health office on service delivery.
These groups expressed their dissatisfaction with how the two carry out their duties during an interface which was supported by Centre for Alternatives for Victimised Women and Children (CAVWOC) in area of senior chief Nazombe in Phalombe district.
Bridget Nkhamula, one of the women from sub traditional authority Maoni said treatment of expectant women in the health facilities need to be improved as most of them are insulted when go to seek a medical help.
“One may be feeling that time to deliver has come but when you go to the nurse and say whatever you’re feeling you get insulted without helping you.
“During our survey we have observed that there have been cases of women delivering on their own without a help from nurses, something needs to be done,” she said.
In her remarks, Dorris Chithumba a Nurse at Chiringa Health Centre said some of the claims that women make said during the meeting were true but she was quick to say that shortage of the health personnel is a biggest challenge.
However, she said some of the problems are caused by women themselves as there are more cases of women taking herbs to fast-track the delivery process.
“Sometimes you come to the hospital after taking herbs to fast-track the process and that compromise everything as per prescribed by the Nurses, lets refrain such malpractice,” she said.
She has since promised that women will see change at the facility as she will make sure that some of these problems be addressed thereby improving service delivery.
The women also complained how the police handle gender-based violence cases as most times the perpetrators are released from the custody without proper reasons.
However, in his response Community Policing Coordinator, Miltons Moyo, said most times the victims of gender-based violence beg the police to close the cases.
Nkhaza Toto Movement has been formed by women and girls from TAs of Nazombe and Jenala in the district and seeks to eradicate violence and abuse that they face within their communities.
