By Elita Nkalo
The Ombudsman Martha Chizuma has directed that massive plumbing maintainance be done at Queen Elizabeth Central Hospital (QECH) in Blantyre to avert some of the water problems the hospital is currently facing.
Chizuma was speaking in Lilongwe recently when her office presented the findings of the “woes of the womb” report to the ministry of Health.
She said the hospital has for a while been experiencing water leakages and low water pressure problems a situation she said was unhealth looking at the type of work the hospital has.
Chizuma expressed the need for QECH to consult with the Blantyre Water Board (BWB) to explore the posibilities of having a realible water supply line that hopes to curb the current problem.
“The current water problem at QECH is not health. Therefore as an office i will need both the report on plumbing and the consultations and any other actions thereafter submitted to my office by January 2020”, said Chizuma
Responding to the findings Director, Quality Directorate in the ministry of Health, Dr Andrew Likaka said the ministry will soon come up with a statement that will address the recommendations that have been outlined by the Ombudsman.
“Let me assure you that the report has been received, and at an appropriate time after scrutinising the contents we will come up with a statement”, he said.
The office of the Ombudsman constituted an investigation on the ” woes of the womb” following media reports that unearthed the challenges that pregant women were facing in the hands of medical personnel at Queen Elizabeth central hospital that included removing women’s uteruses.
