By Lusekero Mhango
Communities living around Kaporo Rural Health Centre have expressed concern over the continued lack of portable water at the facility saying the absence is compromising health service delivery.
The concern comes as health authorities are encouraging hygiene and sanitation to avoid cholera as karonga was hit hard by the waterborne disease which claimed seven lives.
According to Nelson mwakasulo ngerenge area development committee chairperson, , the lack of water at the facility is leaving patients in danger of catching other diseases due to lack of water hence compromising hygiene.
“When we talk about hygiene the first we look at water at health centre and ours does not have portable water and this is risky to parents and guardians as they are at high risk of catching hygiene related diseases,” he said.
He added due to lack of water delivering pregnant women are compromised as guardians are forced to go out to the communities to fetch water for their patients to clean up after labor.
Concurring with Mwakasulo group village headman Gweleweta, said women are delivering in bad conditions hence the need for health authorities to step in to provide safe and clean water at the facility.
“We are calling upon health Authorities to help us especially for our dear women who are facing difficulties delivering during labor due to absence of water and apart from that we are also at high risk of contracting cholera again as people are forced to fetch water in areas where animals also drink water from,” lamented the chief.
However Karonga district health officer (DHO) Dr Phinias Mfune has reassured the community’s living in around Kaporo health centre that in conjunction with the council will construct a borehole to ease some of the challenges that the facility faces.
Kaporo rural health centre currently serves over 50000 people and last month had its pharmacy gutted down by a fire incident.
