Mothers Forced To Home Births As Malawi Clinic Waits On Power
Just 11 percent of Malawians have access to electricity in a country already grappling with precarious power deficits.
NTCHISI, Malawi— Pregnant women served by a remote rural health centre in Malawi's Ntchisi district have been compelled to deliver babies at home without medical support due to the ongoing lack of electricity at the dilapidated facility, writes Mphatso M'bang'ombe.
The Chandawe Maternity Clinic in the Traditional Authority Chilooko area has never been connected to the grid since its opening.
Without lighting after dusk or equipment needing a power supply, many mothers seek care elsewhere, if able.
“It is tough for pregnant women to travel such long distances, especially when they are in labour,” said facility In-charge Asther Pindani this week.
Women face walking up to 23 kilometres along isolated stretches to reach alternative clinics in surrounding towns. The arduous journeys can take hours, sometimes proving impossible for those experiencing sudden contractions or labour complications.
As a result, community leaders say most end up delivering in their rural home villages, assisted only by relatives or traditional birth attendants lacking critical resources.
That leaves both mothers and newborns vulnerable when life-threatening complications arise.
“Our women and children are suffering, and we cannot afford to wait any longer. The lives of mothers and newborns are at stake,” said Village Headman Mdimba during a visit by WaterAid assessing area health facilities.
The community has urgently petitioned authorities for years, requesting Chandawe Clinic's connection to Malawi's unreliable power grid.
However, officials have not yet extended infrastructure to their remote locales as energy access remains sparse nationwide outside main population centres.
Just 11 percent of Malawians have access to electricity in a country already grappling with precarious power deficits.
The delayed installation also hinders care delivery after dark at the Chandawe facility.
Staff can't administer vaccines that need refrigeration overnight without upgraded solar capability.
They also lack adequate lighting to conduct births hygienically or monitor mothers for postpartum complications around the clock.
That leaves women like Aida Kanyimbo, due soon with her first child, weighing difficult choices over where to seek help bringing life into the world.