Usisya Rural Hospital in Nkhata Bay district is posing as a hazard to people seeking health care services as the facility does not have water, working toilets and an incinerator.
The revelations were made by hospital staff during an engagement meeting for different local stakeholders organized by The Great North Transformative Institute.
The facility among others is said to have no incinerator for disposing used syringes, bandages and other harmful medical waste.
According to Medical Assistant at the facility, Chimwemwe Mphwatiwa, the unhygienic practices are forcing some patients to prefer remaining at home missing out on life saving treatment.
“The situation is now very bad and frustrating, as things have gone out of hand because we don’t have water or an incinerator which is compromising Infection Prevention Management (IPM) at our facility, we also don’t have working toilets at the moment,” said Mphwatiwa.
Speaking at the meeting, Ward Councillor for Usisya, Brown Chizeze said the dilapidated state is mainly due to the District Health Office’s failing to rectify some of the problems at the facility.
“The DHO’s office is very aware of the situation at this hospital, our electric water pump broke down long ago, and the surrounding communities are the ones assisting to draw water from elsewhere for the facility,” Chizeze said.
Meanwhile, Chief Operations Officer for Great North Transformative Institute, Henry Kajilange said the situation at the facility needs quick intervention and will ask the central government to intervene.
“We have found that there is no funding being disbursed from the DHO to this facility hence affecting the operations of the rural hospital, we will engage the minister responsible to ensure that people of Usisya are not abandoned like this,” said Kajilange.
Usisya Rural Hospital the facility is a referral service point for other smaller health facilities like Bula, Luwarwe and Khondowe Health Centers.
