People of Chitipa and Karonga can now afford a smile following government’s plan to resume construction works of stalled health facilities projects in the two districts.

In Chitipa, Kapoka Health Centre project stalled at foundation level while in Karonga a maternity wing and an outpatient department at Mpata Health Centre stalled at foundation level in 2013.

In a statement issued on Wednesday, Minister of Health Khumbize Kandodo Chiponda said government will start constructing eight health centres in the country, including resuming construction of the two facilities.

The stalled maternity wing project at Mpata Health Centre in Karonga

Reads the statement in part: “My ministry will start constructing eight new health centres, namely Lunzu and Chikapa in Blantyre, Kapoka in Chitipa, Mpata in Karonga, Luvwere and Mathandani in Mzimba, Kamphenda in Rumphi and Matekenya in Dowa and completion of three health centres, Chiponde in Lilongwe, Kanyenga in Mangochi and Chafumbwa in Ntchisi.”

In an interview on Saturday, Chiponda said government realises the need to place health facilities within the recommended seven kilometres radius.

In a separate interview on Sunday, Mpata Health Centre management committee chairperson Joseph Mwasongwe said they have fought for the resumption of the project for the past nine years.

He said: “About 25 000 people ready to access health services from the facility have been lied to for the past nine years.

“We have also fought to no avail for recovery of the K109 million the contractor allegedly pocketed. Right now the issue is in court.”

Centre for Human Rights and Rehabilitation health governance coordinator Modester Ramondi, whose organisation supports the court case, commended government for the initiative.

“Our plans to recover the money through court will continue,” she said.

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