A New Hope for Mothers in Malawi
A New Hope for Mothers in Malawi
Imagine you are a pregnant woman somewhere in rural Malawi. Your nearest health facility is 15 kilometers (almost 10 miles) away and the only accessible mode of transport to the health facility is a hired bicycle or motorbike on a dirt road filled with deep holes and gullies.
When you get to the maternity ward, you observe that the facilities and the whole ward are not in good shape. What would you do? Go back home? Obviously, no! You must stay since you have no other option. However, this would affect your feeling of safety and comfort.
A safe, welcoming place to deliver your baby is often hard to find in Malawi, resulting in many women choosing to give birth at home rather than make the difficult journey to deliver in a sub-par facility. Orant wants to change that. We have been working on renovations to our maternity ward in order to provide the women of Malawi with a safer, more hygienic, and comfortable place to deliver their babies.
Orant refurbishes Maternity Ward in Dowa, Malawi
The lack of safe, clean spaces for birthing in Malawi is what spurred our Healthcare program to renovate our maternity ward, in order to ensure a more welcoming and comfortable space for pregnant women who come to our facility.
With about 40 deliveries every month, our Healthcare program has underscored the importance of investing more in pregnant women and new babies by motivating them to attend antenatal clinics, renovating our maternity ward, and encouraging mothers to arrive early for their delivery.
How will the new maternity ward help pregnant women?
We believe that with an upgraded plumbing system, delivery rooms, new walls, bathrooms, toilets and patient beds that are conducive for antenatal assessments, delivery, and recovery, the new maternity ward will encourage pregnant women to give birth at the hospital. Pregnant women should expect a very clean, safe and comfortable environment where they can come for deliveries with no fear.
The refurbished maternity ward will also improve patients’ privacy during delivery as it will have privacy curtains and every patient’s room will be clearly demarcated.
Renovations will benefit staff morale as well
“This will not only benefit pregnant women. A beautiful working environment influences a positive mind and motivation towards work. Thus, with a beautiful working space, nurses will be more motivated in their daily work,” says Linda Phiri, Program Manager for Orant’s Maternal, Neonatal, Child and Adolescent Health Services.
We believe that the new maternity will reverberate beyond women’s and newborns’ health. It is a way to empower communities and increase economic prosperity and national security. Check out one of our recent blogs on how having a safe delivery can make a huge difference for a new mother.
Thanks to our donors for giving towards the maternity ward’s renovation! View photos of the renovations in progress here.
