Partners in Health Malawi appeals for well-wishers’ support towards children victims of maternal death

* When announcing heartening news that it has rescued twins after losing their mother at just three months old due to childbirth complications

* Currently supports 5 pairs of twins, 2 sets of triplets and 12 other children and there are still more other children that need essential nutrients necessary for healthy growth and development

* Such as either lactogen or Likuni Phala to provide their bodies with the but PIH Malawi only assists the infants according to its capacity

Maravi Express

When announcing the heartening-news-that-it-rescued-twins  after losing their mother at just three months old due to childbirth complications, Partners in Health (PIH) Malawi further appealed for well-wishers intervention as the organisation is also attending to equally needy victims of maternal death in its catchment area of Neno District.

PIH Malawi is a sister organisation of the global PIH network, which works in close collaboration with the Malawi Ministry of Health since 2007 operating on the premise that healthcare is a fundamental human right — providing a preferential option for the poor.

Apart from supporting these twins, a boy and a girl delightful named Prince and Princess, PIH Malawi also assists other infants whose mothers cannot produce enough breast milk due to various clinical complications ranging from severe adult malnutrition and infections on the breast(s).

PIH reports that currently, they are supporting 5 pairs of twins, 2 sets of triplets and 12 other children — however, “PIH only supports the infants according to its capacity”.

“There are still more other children that need either lactogen or Likuni Phala to provide their bodies with the essential nutrients necessary for healthy growth and development as they are the future workforce, leaders, and contributors to economic growth, stability, and overall societal progress.

“Your support will go a long way in helping those children,” says the report, while emphasising that “maternal mortality remains the leading cause of death and disability for reproductive aged women in developing countries”.

“The first month of life is the most vulnerable period for every child’s survival. Studies have shown that children who experienced maternal deaths within 42 days of their birth face a significantly higher risk of dying within the first month compared to babies whose mothers survive (UN IGME Report, 2024).

“Over the past years, Malawi has struggled with a high maternal mortality of 439 deaths per 100,000 live births (WHO 2023). Although this continues to improve, most women still die during or within 42 days of their childbirth.

“Some of the leading causes of these maternal deaths include postpartum hemorrhage, infections, high blood pressure, and obstructed labour.”

Thus, following these high mortality rates, PIH Malawi — through its nutrition arm — started an intervention in Neno aiming at supporting victims of maternal deaths in 2008.

The organisation indicates that it has been providing infants who lose their mothers after birth with optimal care including nutrition feeding (Lactogen), facilitating timely immunisation and guardian counselling sessions on growth monitoring.

The report highlights that Prince and Princess — from Chifunga catchment area in Neno — are among the several children that lost their mothers due to maternal death.

They are children of a 21-year-old Martha who went to Lisungwi Community Hospital after being referred from Chifunga Health Centre due to the increase in blood pressure during the last three months of her pregnancy.

On October 15th, 2023, the mother gave birth to her twin babies before being discharged from the hospital but a month later, she started experiencing unusual signs including swollen stomach and difficulties in breathing.

She was diagnosed with the swelling of her heart and liver when she returned to the hospital and was immediately given medication to treat the signs and remained in the hospital for some days before being discharged on December 14, 2023.

Unfortunately, the mother lost her life on January 10, 2024, leaving behind her three children, 3-year-old Pachalo, and the two beautiful twins in the care of her aging mother, Chrissy Golombe (55).

“When my daughter passed on, I worried about how I was going to take care of the children that she left behind, particularly the infants,” Golombe is quoted as saying. “I do piece works to feed my family, but looking at the weather pattern that year, I lost hope in my ability to raise these children.

“Immediately after she passed on, I started feeding the infants with cow milk as a substitute for the breast milk they could not access from their mother. 

“Unfortunately, the health of the kids started declining but I had no any other option until one day when I visited the hospital for antenatal visit, the help came.”

The Granny further explained that after some days of reporting the issues at the hospital, PIH Malawi assessed the situation of the infants, who qualified and started providing them proper milk.

“When they started receiving the milk, their nutrition started improving significantly,” says the relieved grandmother. “Eventually, I stopped visiting the hospital often due to their frequent sickness. This gave me time to concentrate on other household chores and piece works.

Golombe added that that currently, she has seven other grandchildren in her care from her other children and she has been struggling to feed and clothe them single-handedly.

But she profoundly commended PIH for the timely support rendered to her two special grandchildren, Prince and Princess.

Isaac Mphande, PIH Malawi’s reproductive, maternal, newborn child & adolescent health programme manager, explained that they executed the immediate intervention to save the lives of the two infants as at that time, the were weighing 3.2kgs at 4 months old.

“But after supporting them with Lactogen, their nutrition improved significantly,” Mphande is quoted as saying. “At the age of 1, the two were weighing about 8.1kgs and at 2 years and 5-months-old, Prince weighed 12.9kgs whilst Princess weighed 12.1kgs.”

Mphande indicated that PIH recruits these infants as early as from days’ old and graduate them when they are two-years-old, saying: “We believe that they can survive on other daily meals only from then on rather than when they are below that age.”

Neno District Health Office (DHO) Safe Motherhood coordinator, Nelson Makuru, disclosed that the maternal mortality ratio (MMR) in Neno is at approximately 54 deaths per 100,000 live births, reflecting an ongoing battle in maternal health despite improvements over the years in curbing maternal deaths and supporting its victims. 

“Support from partners including PIH Malawi has been crucial for the provision of maternal health services in Neno District,” he is quoted as saying. “It has supported us with infrastructure, equipment, training for midwives and clinicians particularly through the Global Action to Improve Nurse Midwifery & Care (GAIN) initiative, and the Emergency Obstetric and Newborn Care (EmONC).

“These have significantly enhanced the capacity of our health facilities and overall helped in improving the maternal health outcomes.”

Makuru added that formation of mother groups and increased awareness campaigns such as ‘Uchembere Wabwino (safe motherhood) programmes implemented by other stakeholders — but also previous integration of PIH Malawi Community Health Workers (CHWs) in Neno from 2007 to 2024 — have also effectively educated families about the importance of antenatal care, skilled birth attendance, and postnatal follow-ups, thereby increasing the facility-based deliveries and early antenatal care visits.

“This has greatly reduced maternal deaths,” reports PIH Malawi. “Meanwhile, Neno District has improved its performance on maternal health services.

“While some challenges remain, particularly in strengthening postnatal care follow-ups, the government’s cadre of Health Surveillance Assistants (HSAs) is playing a commendable role in ensuring that maternal health services continue to be fully utilised.—Reporting for PIH Malawi by Joseph King Mizere; edited by Duncan Mlanjira, Maravi Express