Vibangalala Health Centre, under the Mzimba District Health Office (DHO), has been operating without running water for nearly three months, severely disrupting service delivery and forcing health workers to refer even minor cases to Mzimba District Hospital, Malawi24 has established.
A visit by Malawi24 to the facility revealed that the prolonged water shortage has crippled basic operations, raising serious hygiene and infection-control concerns at the rural dispensary, which serves approximately 2,000 people per month from surrounding communities.
Although the facility has an on-site borehole, it has failed to restore its water supply due to what sources described as neglect by the Health Advisory Committee (HAC), which is responsible for overseeing community-level support and infrastructure maintenance.
The borehole reportedly broke down about three months ago and has yet to be repaired.
Previously, the dispensary relied on piped water as an alternative source; however, that supply was disconnected nearly a year ago and has also not been restored.
Sources at the facility further told Malawi24 that the piped water system was initially designed to operate on solar power but was later irregularly connected to electricity.
It remains unclear whether the solar system is still functional or whether the motor is compatible with the current power setup, leaving the entire water system non-operational.
“As a result, health workers are struggling to maintain cleanliness, and essential services such as wound care, maternity support, and general outpatient services have been severely compromised,” said a source familiar with operations at the dispensary, who requested anonymity.
Due to the situation, the facility has been forced to refer even minor and manageable cases to Mzimba District Hospital, placing an additional burden on patients who must travel long distances to access basic healthcare services.
Ellings Nyirenda, spokesperson for Mzimba South DHO, acknowledged the problem at the facility and revealed that a machine has already been procured to restore the piped water supply.
“I can confirm that the DHO is aware of the water problem at Vibangalala Health Centre, and we have already procured a machine. We are hopeful that water supply will be restored by the end of next week,” said Nyirenda.
Community members have expressed concern over the prolonged delay in addressing the problem, warning that the lack of water at a health facility poses serious public health risks, especially during the rainy season when waterborne diseases are prevalent.
