HIV/AIDS & Reproductive Health
Source: Malawi News Agency
Minister of Health Dr Jean Kalilani has encouraged women in Nkhotakota to utilise the Chipatala Cha Pa Foni (CCPF) concept.
CCPF, which in English means Health Centre by Phone, aims at increasing knowledge and improving health-seeking behaviour among pregnant women, guardians of under-five children and women of child-bearing age.
CCPF is a hotline and text-based tips and reminders service providing the targeted group in rural and underserved areas with access to information, medical advice and referrals on reproductive, maternal, newborn, and child health issues.
Speaking at Chasato Primary School in Nkhotakota on Thursday during the launch of the CCPF, Dr Kalilani said nowadays information and communication technologies (ICTs) are indispensable from health service delivery because they are vital in timely message dissemination.
"I'm hopeful that in future, Nkhotakota will benefit a lot from CCPF by addressing maternal and newborn health challenges and by encouraging women to be using various family planning methods.
Dr Kalirani receiving gift from Chasato community at the event
"CCPF is crucial in addressing maternal and newborn health challenges since the initiative addresses issues of limited availability of timely and reliable health information, poor access to and use of health facilities and delays in care seeking which result in a burdened health system," she said.
Dr Kalilani said government was committed to utilising ICT in development as evidenced by the introduction of the initiative by Ministries of Agriculture, Health, and Gender, Children and Social Welfare.
"With this initiative, one is able to get messages concerning agriculture, health and gender by dialing 321 on Airtel line. We are making progress in utilization of ICTs in development," she said.
Ministry of Health Chief of Health Services, Dr Charles Mwansambo, said he was glad to learn that women in Nkhotakota were utilising CCPF because they were dominating in registering and calling on CCPF compared to those in Balaka and Mulanje who were also using CCPF.
Both Dr Kalilani and Dr Mwansambo commended VillageReach for developing and piloting CCPF in Balaka and Concern Worldwide for liaising with VillageReach to extend CCPF to Nkhotakota where Concern Worldwide is implementing a maternal health project.
VillageReach developed and implemented CCPF as a mobile health project of Concern Worldwide's Innovations for Maternal, Newborn, and Child Health initiative. VillageReach piloted CCPF in Balaka with services starting in July 2011 and concluding in May 2013.