By Our Reporter
In strive to eradicate Maternal and neonatal death in Karonga the northern part of Malawi; local organizations in the district known as Foundation for Community Support Services (FOCUS) in partnership with the Adventist Health Services (AHS) have conducted a four days men capacity building workshop that will help to improve the health of pregnant mothers as well as newly born child.
The training is carried under the three year project which is known as Reaching to Mother and Child Health that the two organizations are implementing in the district with a 1.2 billion Malawi Kwacha financial support from the Christian Aid and UKAID Match.
Speaking during the workshop which on Thursday , the project manager who is also the executive director of FOCUS Kossum Munthali said lack of men participation in issues concerning maternal and neonatal death reduction is the major thing that is contributing to its increase in the district.
According to Munthali, the district’s cultural belief regards men as the bread winner as well as the family decision makers hence there is need for them to be knowledgeable with issues pertaining to maternal and neonatal death.
“We want you men to first understand the labor pains that pregnant women pass through during this period and also your responsibilities. What you should know is that your failure to take part with the fight against maternal and neonatal death has strongly contributed to its increase,” said Munthali.
Concurring with Munthali, Karonga District Health Officer (DHO) representative Dr Ted Bandawe said apart from men negligence in providing special care and support to the pregnant mothers, lack of transport for referrals as well as shortage of blood in hospitals are also contributing to the maternal and neonatal death in the district.
“Of course apart from your negligence as husband in providing special care and support such as food to pregnant mothers, shortage of blood at our hospitals to donate to pregnant mothers who have lost blood due to some complications and issues of transport especially fuel for referrals, are also some of problems that is jeopardizing the battle against the reduction of maternal and neonatal death in the district so we are urging you men to vibrant in such incidents,” pleaded Bandawe.
In his remarks, the president of the trainees through their group known as Men As Partners (MAPs) which consist of men who are regarded as the role models in their respective areas Davie Chilongo, commended the organizations for the training saying “it will change a lot of things in their family apart from issues of curbing maternal and neonatal death in the district as they have also been skilled things concerning family planning as well as ways of dealing with HIV/AIDS disease.”
Meanwhile, the project donated the new model ambulance to the district hospital worth 33m Malawi Kwacha as part of its assets to reach its goal of reducing the Maternal and neonatal death.
