MZUZU (MaraviPost) — Health operations in Malawi’s commercial capital of Blantyre have been paralysed over lack of enough funding, Blantyre District Health Officer (DHO) Owen Malema has confessed.
“Just like any other hospital in the country, Blantyre DHO is not funded adequately,” said Malema.
According to Maravi Post correspondents in the commercial capital, there is lack of enough health personnel and medical provisions in most of the clinics.
“People move long distances to access health services where they can get health workers,” Maneno Chimulala, our correspondent in Blantyre said.
But Malema said the situation is not as bad in the urban settings.
“People have health centres nearby there as compared to rural areas,” said Malema added.
He said to curb the problem; they have established about 95 village clinics which are manned by Health Surveillance Assistants (HSAs) across the district.
Malawi’s cities continue to register alarming rural-urban migration rates, with many migrating to cities to hunt for menial jobs.