Expectant mothers at Balaka District Hospital have expressed worry over lack of maternity care at the facility as the situation which is causing deaths of either delivering women or babies.
Reports indicate that about two women died on the night of March 13, 2019 and two others delivered outside labour ward recently as there was no nurse to help. Furthermore, one woman lost her baby in absence of health officials.
A visit to the maternity wing has proved that most women are complaining of the treatment they receive while waiting to deliver at the hospital. Some women have told this publication that nurses on duty take time to come in for help.
One guardian who spoke on condition of anonymity confirmed that another woman fainted after crying for long time without being assisted.
However, Balaka District Health Officer Katenga Kaunda has parried away the reports saying women in maternity are taken care of by at least four nurses and more than 5 students doing attachments.
“Those are just rumours because there are no deaths at our hospital. Please investigate to get what has sparked such rumours to get the truth,” Kaunda said.
Meanwhile, Malawi24 understands some women were referred to the hospital from Dream Center at Comfort where electricity fire gutted down laboratory which stands a few metres from the maternity.
