Pregnant mothers in Karonga District have protested the introduction of fees on medical supplies for those delivering through caesarian section.

The women, who marched on Thursday to Karonga district commissioner’s (DC) office to present their grievances, cited the shortage of essential medical and surgical supplies at the district’s referral hospital as another challenge to safe motherhood.

Speaking in an interview, a pregnant woman Jessie Ngaiyaye claimed she was told to buy surgical supplies such as cotton, catheter bags, spirit, iodine, dental lignocane and syringes for operation during delivery.

“We decided to go to the DC to meet him and present our grievances because our friends have already parted ways with money, ranging from K25 000 to K30 000 for the surgical supplies. However, some of us cannot afford that amount,” she said.

A guardian Glory Kanyenda from Chilumba, who came with her father for a surgery, said she paid K55 000 for surgical supplies for her father to be operated on.

“We were referred to the district hospital because it is supposed to have all equipment and medical supplies,” she said.

On her part, Maggie Msukwa from Chibobola Village in Senior Chief Kilupula said she paid K7 000 she had for upkeep and was waiting for relatives to mobilise an additional K10 000 for other surgical supplies for her sister to go to the theatre.

In a separate interview, Karonga DC Paul Kalilombe, while confirming meeting the expectant mothers, wondered why the district health office never notified his office about the erratic supply of the surgical supplies at the health facility.

He said: “Yes, the said expectant mothers came to present their concerns on erratic surgical supplies, a situation which is forcing them to dig deeper into their pockets.

“We will sit down with the district hospital management to map the way forward.”

Karonga district director of health and social services David Sibale confirmed the shortage of drugs and medical supplies, saying it is due to the delay caused by suppliers who fail to swiftly respond to their orders.

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