Ministry to build advanced Maternal New-born Units

Ministry of health says will build advanced maternal new born units which allows mother and new born to stay together.

According to the ministry’s chief pediatrician Dr Msandeni Chiume Kayuni is it emotionally draining for a new mother to be travelling along distance to attend to the baby admitted in the nursery section.

Dr Kayuni said the dedicated neonatal units in all hospitals across will be established from mid-next year to enhance mother and baby care.

She disclosed that since 2019 cases of neonatal mortality rate have declined with 2.9 percent making Malawi one of the fastest countries to reduce the cases in sub-Saharan Africa.

Dr Kayuni however said a lot needs to be done to achieve the recommended 12% as the country stands at 19.

She further disclosed plans to launch the borrowed Tanzanian strategy of Mmama from mid-2025 as one way of improving maternal and child health in Malawi.