MALAWI: Maternal Child Health Beneficiaries in Malawi Strengthening Health Systems
Sr. Jecinter Antoinette Okoth, FSSA
Catholic sisters who have benefited from an online learning program in Malawi, aimed to offer skills on how to save the lives of children and their mothers, are strengthening health care systems for better quality service delivery in their facilities.
The online learning platform termed as Learning for Humanity (L4H) is an initiative for a global health organization known as Medicines for Humanity (MFH) whose mission is to save the lives of vulnerable children and their mothers as they collaborate with and empower committed in-country partners to strengthen maternal and child health in the communities.
Sharing about the progress made after gaining skills and knowledge of how to manage health care facility operations, Sr. Stivelia Emily Macloud a member of the Servants of the Blessed Mary Sisters (SBVM) in Malawi highlighted in an interview with AMECEA online Tuesday, May 10, that knowledge gained on performance appraisal has helped her improve the condition of the facility.
“We could carry out performance appraisal for staff once a year and even without proper planning,” Sr. Macloud a nurse midwife and administrator of Mzama Health Centre in Dedza diocese disclosed and explained further, “I have trained other staff members and now we have a different approach towards this activity in fact we will be doing it biannually.”
Additionally, the nun narrated that her approach of involving the community who receives their services to conduct performance appraisal for the facility has greatly impacted the health center in a positive way as they hope this will continue.
“The turnout of patients hasn’t been very impressing but after involving the community to evaluate the facility, the number of patients has increased as we implemented their feedback,” Sr. Macloud said during the interview adding that they intend to continue with performance appraisal by the community to help the facility strengthen its systems for better service delivery.
The L4H initiative which is currently offering two online courses – Health care management and leadership – is a project that commenced last year to empower Catholic sisters in health care organizations by building knowledge, skills and capacity of the Sisters worldwide to strengthen health systems and empower communities especially on efforts to save the lives of children and their mothers.
On her part another beneficiary Sr. Christina Chakalamba a member of the Sisters of Charity of Ottawa congregation in Malawi underscored that after introducing free antenatal care to expectant mothers in their facility, more patients seek for their services.
Besides, Sr. Chakalamba who is in-charge of St. Michael’s Guilleme Community Hospital in the Archdiocese of Lilongwe appreciated the training which has helped her develop a clear mission and vision statements as well as core values of the facility and translated the same in local language for those who cannot understand the English language.
She disclosed that the children under five within their catchment area are also gaining a lot from their services and the death rate has reduced as well.
The interview meeting by beneficiaries of maternal child health care from the Association of Women Religious Institute in Malawi (AWRIM) who are partnering with MFH brought together other actors including Sr. Betty Grace Atim a member of the Little Sisters of Mary Immaculate of Gulu and consultant in charge of Marketing for L4H and Ms. Govinda Bilges the Coordinator of the program.
