Mangochi District Hospital Director of Preventive Health Services, Dr. Kondwani Mamba, said this on Tuesday when the hospital was handing over two brand-new motorbikes from the ministry to some senior health surveillance assistance (HSA’s) working in very remote areas.

Dr. Mamba said there are areas where health workers are failing to reach regularly due to distances as most HAS’s use bicycles which is not effective.

“Mangochi is a very big district and we have 50 senior HSA’s who are supposed to go round to inspect others placed in the villages but are failing because of such challenges as only few have motorbikes,” said Mamba.

Mary Labana, Senior HSA for Luwalika Health Centre, who received one of the two motorbikes, said she has been cycling distances over 20 kilometers to do supervision or immunization which is tiresome and the motorbike will make the work easier.

The other recipient, Richard Maluwa, Senior HSA at Mbalama Health Centre, which is over 100 kilometers from the district hospital, said the hospital which serves an average population of 21 thousand people had no transport for his department.

HSA’s are said to be substantial when it comes to delivery of health services, with particular focus on immunization and primary health care according to the ministry.