By Newton Kalua
The 𝐖𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐧’𝐬 𝐇𝐞𝐚𝐥𝐭𝐡 𝐂𝐚𝐦𝐩𝐚𝐢𝐠𝐧 continues to gain momentum. At the second district entry meeting in Kasungu, WRASM, WaterAid Malawi and the district health leaders unpacked what’s gone wrong in past WASH interventions, and how to do things differently this time.
Rooted in a rights-based approach, the campaign is geared-up to shifting the focus from needs to entitlements, empowering women and frontline health workers to demand 𝐜𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐧, 𝐬𝐚𝐟𝐞, and 𝐝𝐢𝐠𝐧𝐢𝐟𝐢𝐞𝐝 care.
“Money is there, but communities must be trained to know what they don’t know, so they can demand what they’re entitled to,” highlighted Kasungu Director of Health Services, Dr. Emmanuel Golombe.
The meeting further sparked candid and impactful conversations, flagging key lessons from failed 𝐖𝐀𝐒𝐇 interventions and paving the way for the designed approach that empowers users to demand better.
From sustainability and resource awareness to WASH accountability, participants didn’t hold back.
Mtunthama Health Centre Facility In-Charge, Moses Chimtembo, highlighted chronic maintenance failures in WASH infrastructure, as also witnessed during listening sessions with women maternity users and service providers, while the Kasungu District Environmental Health Officer, Rudolf Zinkanda, called for synergy across technical expertise within the implementation team and alignment of the activities with the District Implementation Plan.
Through this, we’ll be able to ask, listen and act, until women and girls realise their right to quality health and well-being in WASH at the maternity wards!
The photo trail below paints a picture of how discussions unfolded:
