Government roles out RTDs training to HSAs per ELCM petition
By:Sometimes Khama Kalilangwe
One year down after the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Malawi (ELCM) presented its petition asking the government to allow the Health Surveillances Assistants (HSAs) in the rural areas be trained and start testing patients from malaria cases using rapid test diagnostic machines (RTDs).
The ELCM ‘s dream has come true as the Malawian government responded to the petition positively.
According to ELCM’s Malaria Coordinator, Mrs Judith Jere stressed her acknowledgement to Malawian government for hearing the church’s voice in the fight against malaria mainly in the hard to reach areas where health support is challenge.
“As ELCM we are very proud that our voice has at last being heard. Regardless that it has been long since we petitioned the government. We thank them for considering us. This will help pregnant women and the under five children access malaria medication in their rural areas.” Mrs Judith Jere said.
Showing her excitement Mrs Jere continued: “The reason that forced us to request the government to allow the Village Clinics to test its patients from malaria cases was due to high malaria cases that were reported in the hard to reach areas. In these areas people walk a long distance to reach the hospital that’s put the lives of children and pregnant women at risk. These means that HAS’s were not allowed to test patients from Malaria. So we saw to it that it was good to coax the government to allow them as one way of reducing malaria death cases.”
In his remarks the District Health Officer (DHO) for Mangochi a Dr. Wellings Peno emphasized that the district started training HSAs in the hard to reach areas as one way of responding to ELCM’s request.
“Since the presentation of the petition in May 2014 last year, we have been working on it and have possible solutions of eradicating malaria. With consideration we have decided to start with the lake-shore areas as one way of studying on how we can progress with it. So far we have trained almost 20 HSA’s within Mangochi and we expect the number to increase in the near future”, responded Dr Peno.
Dr Peno expressed his vote of thanks to ELCM for its effort in reducing malaria cases in the hard to reach areas.
He said the church’s petition opened the government’s eyes noticing where it was not active.
The DHO accepted that many lives had lost due to poor strategies.
Goodson Makondetsa one of the HSAs who benefited from the RTDs training confirmed that the training was of paramount to the fight against malaria.
“In the past it was so hard for us to test patients for malaria as we were not allowed such that we were referring patients to the health centers. This could put the lives of pregnant women and children at a risk as they were walking for long distances of more than 50 kilometers to access testing.” Goodson Makondetsa explained.
Makondetsa further disclosed that as the demand for testing malaria increased the demand of more health attendants was needed too.
“As people in the rural areas are celebrating for this development there will be much need of HSAs that to meet the demand.” He finalized.
Currently, the Government of Malawi started this program mainly in the lakeshore areas where malaria cases are said to be high and strategic area where ELCM is campaigning against malaria.
ELCM presented its petition to Mangochi through Monkey Bay Community Hospital on May 02, 2014.
By:Sometimes Khama Kalilangwe
One year down after the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Malawi (ELCM) presented its petition asking the government to allow the Health Surveillances Assistants (HSAs) in the rural areas be trained and start testing patients from malaria cases using rapid test diagnostic machines (RTDs).
The ELCM ‘s dream has come true as the Malawian government responded to the petition positively.
According to ELCM’s Malaria Coordinator, Mrs Judith Jere stressed her acknowledgement to Malawian government for hearing the church’s voice in the fight against malaria mainly in the hard to reach areas where health support is challenge.
“As ELCM we are very proud that our voice has at last being heard. Regardless that it has been long since we petitioned the government. We thank them for considering us. This will help pregnant women and the under five children access malaria medication in their rural areas.” Mrs Judith Jere said.
Showing her excitement Mrs Jere continued: “The reason that forced us to request the government to allow the Village Clinics to test its patients from malaria cases was due to high malaria cases that were reported in the hard to reach areas. In these areas people walk a long distance to reach the hospital that’s put the lives of children and pregnant women at risk. These means that HAS’s were not allowed to test patients from Malaria. So we saw to it that it was good to coax the government to allow them as one way of reducing malaria death cases.”
In his remarks the District Health Officer (DHO) for Mangochi a Dr. Wellings Peno emphasized that the district started training HSAs in the hard to reach areas as one way of responding to ELCM’s request.
“Since the presentation of the petition in May 2014 last year, we have been working on it and have possible solutions of eradicating malaria. With consideration we have decided to start with the lake-shore areas as one way of studying on how we can progress with it. So far we have trained almost 20 HSA’s within Mangochi and we expect the number to increase in the near future”, responded Dr Peno.
Dr Peno expressed his vote of thanks to ELCM for its effort in reducing malaria cases in the hard to reach areas.
He said the church’s petition opened the government’s eyes noticing where it was not active.
The DHO accepted that many lives had lost due to poor strategies.
Goodson Makondetsa one of the HSAs who benefited from the RTDs training confirmed that the training was of paramount to the fight against malaria.
“In the past it was so hard for us to test patients for malaria as we were not allowed such that we were referring patients to the health centers. This could put the lives of pregnant women and children at a risk as they were walking for long distances of more than 50 kilometers to access testing.” Goodson Makondetsa explained.
Makondetsa further disclosed that as the demand for testing malaria increased the demand of more health attendants was needed too.
“As people in the rural areas are celebrating for this development there will be much need of HSAs that to meet the demand.” He finalized.
Currently, the Government of Malawi started this program mainly in the lakeshore areas where malaria cases are said to be high and strategic area where ELCM is campaigning against malaria.
ELCM presented its petition to Mangochi through Monkey Bay Community Hospital on May 02, 2014.