Medical doctor’s holiday forces officials to shutdown Mlare health center
October 30, 2017
By Our reporter
Communities in the vicinity of Mlare Health Centre in Karonga are enduring extra costs and long travels to access life-saving health services, as the sole medical assistant at the facility is on his leave.
The Health Advisory Committee Chairperson Vyanangika Mkwala, said patients were struggling to access health care as the facility has not been operational since October 20. Mkwala said pregnant women and critical patients are the worst hit by the staffing crisis at the health centre.
“We reported the matter to the Assistant Health Service at Karonga District Health Office, and he promised to respond accordingly. Up to now, no one has taken over the duties,” he said.
But Karonga District Health Officer Phinias Mfune asked for more time to find out more about the issue. Karonga is one of the districts hit hard by shortage of skilled health workers.
The Centre for Human Rights and Rehabilitation (CHRR) district coordinator Gracian Mbewe said the shutdown of the health centre poses a threat to life.
“It is pathetic that people are being denied their right of accessing health services, which is not good. We will meet the DHO to ensure a health worker is sent to Mlare. We plead with Government to recruit more staff for rural health centres,” he said.