The Sunday Mail
Desire Ncube
ADVENTIST Development and Relief Agency, a Seventh-day Adventist Church-affiliated NGO, is fighting maternal mortality in marginalised communities.
With assistance from Adra-UK and United Kingdom Aid, Adra-Zimbabwe has given four clinics in Gokwe North essential equipment for expecting mothers.
Adra-Zimbabwe financed construction of four state-of-the-art waiting mothers’ shelters, boreholes, solar panels for lighting and E-Rangers that carry pregnant women from the community to clinics.
The four that benefited are Zhomba, Simuchembu, Vumba and Nenyunka clinics. The faith-based NGO worked in partnership with the Health and Child Care and Rural Development Promotion and Preservation of National Culture and Heritage ministries.
Adra-Zimbabwe sent a 12-member delegation to Malawi’s Milange district last month on an exchange visit.
The team comprised two Health Ministry officials, traditional chiefs, headmen, district administrators and health practitioners.
Adra-Zimbabwe country director Mrs Judith Musvosvi said global health research showed Malawi had made tremendous progress in reducing maternal mortality, hence the visit to share notes.
“We started this programme (reducing maternal mortality rate in marginalised communities) three years ago … our aim was and is still to increase the number of deliveries attended by skilled healthcare officials, thus reducing the maternal mortality rate,” said Mrs Musvosvi.
“In Gokwe North we are working with traditional leaders. We have realised that they have powerful voices and people respect them hence it will be easy for villagers to heed them.
“It is encouraging how people in that area have embraced this program; I am impressed that everyone is co-operative.”
Mrs Musvosvi said even though there was a law against home deliveries, the reality on the ground showed these were prevalent in some communities.
“Things that are embedded in culture and religion cannot be overturned by law. It is equally important to engage the people targeted, educating them about the dangers of such practices,” she said.
Gokwe North Paramount Chief Chireya, Mr Henry Chidzivo, said he was fining people who defied the law on home deliveries.
“When I was in Malawi I noticed that their traditional leaders take the issue of ending maternal mortality seriously, they fine everyone who will be found on the wrong side of the law and I will introduce the fines in my area,” said Chief Chireya.
Mrs Salufina Varaidzo Mashavakure, the Gokwe North district health officer, said they were pushing to ensure all pregnant womenhad access to antenatal care and clean and safe delivery from skilled attendants.
“Every pregnant woman in Malawi is compelled to get antenatal care; their structures are well managed because they are monitored by traditional leaders.
“This is important because if one develops complications there is easy access to emergency obstetric care,” said Mrs Mashavakure.
She said the first level to achieving zero maternity mortality was to have health facilities with emergency obstetric care close to communities.
Adra-Zimbabwe belongs to the worldwide Adra network that is present in over 120 countries.
