12 children die as nurse deserts rural health centre

TWELVE children have died of Malaria in Kajilime ward in Chasefu after health personnel deserted the only health centre in the area. ZANIS reports that Chasefu rural health centre has been operating without personnel for the last one month because the nurse deployed at the facility has deserted it. Kajilime Area Councillor David Mtika has confirmed the state of affairs at the Chasefu rural health centre, expressing disappointment that the nurse has been absent from work for over a month. ZANIS reports that Mr. Mtika said yesterday that last month 12 children died of Malaria in Kajilime ward because there was no one to attend tothem at the health facility. The councillor stated that according to Patriotic Front (PF) health guidelines, no woman should give birth at the village but this is contraryto what was happening at present for expecting mothers who are supposed to deliver at the facility. He disclosed that instead of accessing maternity services at the nearby Chasefu rural health centre, pregnant women are referred to far away Kanyanga Mission Rural Health Centre for deliveries. Mr Mtika complained of women being forced to give birth at home because they cannot access maternity services nearby. “The government has built a very nice building at Chasefu rural health centre with everything inside for the women to be kept and deliver from there, but it has been turned into a white elephant,” the councilor lamented.