On 15th June 2016 the official handover and dedication of Msumbe Health Centre took place with presence of the Moderator Elect, General Secretary, Deputy General Secretary and the funding partners.
Msumbe health centre is in T.A. Mwenemisuku, GVH Mphondain Chitipa district. The nearest Health Centre is Misuku which is 30Km away while Chitipa and Karonga District Hospitals are over 60km and 50km away from Msumbe respectively. The mentioned long distances, coupled with difficult terrain, bad road network and lack of reliable transport system pose a big challenge for the people in this area, to fully enjoy their right to access good, quality and equitable health services. Msumbe community has witnessed significant numbers of maternal and neonatal deaths and related complications due to lack of maternity services nearby.
This lead to C.C.A.P Synod of Livingstonia in 1998, under its health expansion drive, chose Msumbe as one of unreached areas to be targeted. The Synod in partnership with Msumbe community and with support from SIMAVI embarked on construction of structures at Msumbe-a hard to reach area, with the hope of establishing and opening a fully-fledged Health Center which would provide to the community with maternity and outpatient services. This did not happen until 2013 when the Synod had a memorandum of understanding with Chitipa DHO and supportfrom the local leadership.On 21st February 2013, the Moderator Rev. D.F. Chipofya opened this clinic and it has been offering OPD services only because the structures did not meet the required standards by medical council to provide maternity cases. The clinic is under thesupervision and management of David Gordon Memorial Hospital in Livingstonia.The clinic offers outpatients and preventive health services to the community with a population of 15, 025 people.
Having an outpatient clinic was an important milestone for provision of health care services, however the services were not complete with the absence of maternal and neonatal care. In 2013, Danish Church Aid (DCA) in partnership with Norwegian Church AID and CHAM responding to the need for the maternity services and recognizing the commitment of the Synod and the community, embarked on building of new structures that would make Msumbe a full health center. This development fulfil Synods goal of providing health services including maternity to this community.
The Health Centre has received magnificent maternity wing, three staff houses, guardian shelter, and water system.
These structures have costed more than 269 million Malawi Kwacha fromDCA through the NCA.