Mpongwe West Member of Parliament Emmanuel Kasambo has pledged to overhaul maternal healthcare support at Mpongwe Mission Hospital, following concerns over the facility’s limited capacity to accommodate expectant mothers.
Mr Kasambo says the hospital currently has capacity to accommodate only two women per month, a situation he says must urgently change.
During a visit to the facility, Mr Kasambo pledged to facilitate the expansion of the labour ward and construct a mothers’ shelter for expectant mothers who need to stay at the hospital before delivery.
He also plans to provide a separate shelter for people visiting admitted patients, as well as new ablution blocks to improve sanitation and the general welfare of patients and their families.
Mr Kasambo has further pledged food supplies for patients, including 50 bags of 25-kilogramme mealie meal, beans, rice and cooking oil.
He also took note of 71 bags of mealie meal found at the facility for pregnant mothers, saying adequate food support is essential for expectant mothers and patients receiving care.
The MP says his intervention will not stop at the mission hospital, with plans to ensure that every clinic in Mpongwe West has a delivery centre.
He says taking maternity services closer to communities will help reduce the burden on Mpongwe Mission Hospital and ensure that women can access safe delivery services without travelling long distances.
Mr Kasambo says improving health infrastructure, maternal services and patient welfare remains a priority for his constituency, adding that the proposed interventions are intended to give patients and expectant mothers a safer, more dignified and accessible healthcare environment.
By Darius Choonya
