Mulanje Mission Hospital has been renovating and refurbishing wards to provide better quality services for patients over the last decade. In 2016 plans were set out to renovate and expand the antenatal ward and antenatal clinic. The plans would enable the Mulanje Mission Hospital to provide new services and improve care of women with complications of pregnancy and women in early labour.
With facilities at Mulanje District Hospital already overstretched patients are often referred to MMH for operations or care of complex cases. MMH Management discussed urgent needs for renovation including the waiting area being dilapidated, only one small examination room available, too few beds, and no dedicated toilet facilities for the ward or room for antenatal scanning.
Malawi has a high maternal mortality rate, one of the highest in the world and interventions to improve antenatal care and the care of women in labour are a high priority in the Malawi Health Sector Strategic Plan. Through improvement of facilities at MMH the Mission aimed to encourage women to attend antenatal care and to attend hospital in early labour, leading to improved maternity outcomes.