BLANTYRE-(MaraviPost)-A heart-wrenching incident has occurred at Mwanza District Hospital, where a woman was denied medical attention due to her inability to pay a bribe, resulting in the loss of her unborn child.
The woman, a resident of Kunenekude, had arrived at the hospital seeking help, but was told by a health worker that she needed to pay K100,000 for treatment, despite the hospital being a public facility.
According to reports gathered by Maravipost Online, the health workers demanded the bribe because the woman had not registered for antenatal care at the hospital, instead opting for services at her local village.
The workers allegedly assumed she was a Mozambican citizen, further justifying their actions.
The woman’s relatives scrambled to gather the demanded amount, but by the time they returned, she had been left unattended for too long, and the baby had died.
When the family tried to seek help, they were refunded K90,000, with the remaining K10,000 being kept as a “administration fee”.
Mwanza District Health Officer, Anthony Chafunya, has confirmed the incident and assured that an investigation is underway to bring those responsible to justice.
Residents of Mwanza have long complained about being forced to pay bribes for medical services at the hospital, despite clear signage indicating that treatment is free.
This tragic incident highlights the need for accountability and transparency in Malawi’s healthcare system, ensuring that all citizens receive the medical attention they deserve, regardless of their financial situation.
