By Fostina Mkandawire:

For decades, women in Senior Chief Makanjira in Salima District have faced unimaginable challenges when it comes to accessing maternity care.

Women walked up to 20 kilometres, sometimes in labour, to reach the nearest health centre.

Some never made it, giving birth on the side of the road or losing their lives due to a lack of timely medical attention.

Mbochele Ndaziona, a 28-year-old woman from Kwineng’ene Village, recounts her struggles from the past when she was in labour but had to endure the 20-kilometre walk to reach Khombedza Health Centre.

“It was the most horrific experience of my entire life. Finding transportation was a huge challenge at that time because only vehicles were used for transportation, unlike today when motorcycles are locally available,” Ndaziona narrates.

She remembers how she slept on the roadside with her mother by her side, waiting for well-wishers to offer a lift to the hospital.

Being her first pregnancy, she says it was difficult to recognise the onset of labour pains, hence the delay in travelling to the hospital.

In her words, upon reaching the hospital, she was assisted. Fortunately, everything went well and she did not encounter any major challenges due to the delay in seeking maternity care.

Litinesi Abdul, 30, from the same village, also recalls how giving birth was often a life-threatening ordeal.

“We faced a gruelling and sometimes dangerous journey while in labour. The long walk, sometimes with no form of transportation, was a test of endurance and willpower,” she states.

But now, there is hope. A new health facility will alleviate these agonising challenges.

This facility, strategically located within reach of the community, has brought maternity care closer to the women of Senior Chief Makanjira.

Summarising the ordeals of his people, the local leader attests that the health facility represents a lifeline to thousands of women who have long been denied the most basic health services.

“With its strategic location, the facility will provide comprehensive maternity services, from antenatal care to safe deliveries, all within the community’s reach. I remember one woman; she was in labour and had no way to get to the hospital.

“She walked for hours, but when she finally arrived, it was too late. She gave birth on the road and the baby didn’t survive. She passed away shortly after,” he recalls.

In his area, the absence of nearby maternity care contributed to high maternal and infant mortality rates, a grim reality that many families had to endure.

“We have seen too many women suffer; too many lives lost. This new facility will make a huge difference. No more women will have to walk several kilometres, risking their lives to get the care they deserve,” he adds.

Esther Chiwenda, a nursing and midwifery technician at Mnema Health Centre, says the facility has been furnished with modern medical equipment, staffed by trained professionals and designed to provide a welcoming and supportive environment for women during pregnancy