Namikango Maternity Clinic was built in the trading center of Thondwe in 1973-74. Thondwe is located just a few miles east of the city of Blantyre, the commercial center of the nation in the southern region of the country. Between 60 and 80 babies a month are born in the facility. Mark Thiesen, an American missionary working on the complex reports, “Namikango Maternity Clinic exists to provide safe deliveries, looking out for the well-being of mother and child.” This fact becomes evident when the visitor steps inside this aging, but well kept facility.
Upon entering the Clinic one is immediately struck by the cleanliness of the facility as well as with the professionalism of the staff. Both testify to the training and supplies that compliment the facility. Where government facilities are plagued with a lack of trained personnel and supplies, Naminkango appears to be head and shoulders above the average on both counts. Beds are made and ready for the next patient, and all of them have relatively new mattresses, clean sheets, and colorful blankets. Equipment is clean and sterilized and ready for use at a moments notice. One quickly realizes that with an additional influx of more supplies this facility can be an even greater asset to the area it served. Everywhere the equipment is clean and neat although there is a need for a number of upgrades. There is evidence of leaks in the ceilings and the recognition that help is needed for the aging facilities is evident upon close inspection. In spite of the needs the staff is doing an exceptional job in giving pre-natal and birthing care to a large number of women from the area in and around Thondwe.
We learned from Mark that the clinic’s aging roof needs replacement. The Malawi Project board of directors immediately approved the funds to replace the roof before the rainy season begins.
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