We spoke to Group Village Headman Nandaya and Group Village Headman Kakhome today and both told us that, for years now, Mtakataka, Maonde and Mphathi health centres are operating with dry taps and that this has effect on general sanitation for women who give birth at the facilities.

District Health Office spokesperson, Mwai Liabunya, has acknowledged the problem but refused to diverge detail.

Mtakataka Health Centre serves a population of over around 23 thousand but has been operating without water for three years after a water pump developed a fault.

Group Village Headman Kakhome who is also Chairperson of Health Advisory Committee has faulted health authorities for failing to solve the problem.

"The pump developed a fault in August 2017. Now women delivering in the maternity are exposed to diseases. But authorities are doing nothing to address the problem," said Group Village Headman Kakhome.

Group village headman Nandaya also laments that M'phathi Health Centre in his area is in a simila predicament for a year now.

"The water problem at this hospital is contributing to increased number of people suffering from water born disease, people are struggling to find water,” Nandaya says.

Spokesperson for the District Health Office in Dedza, Mwai Liabunya, has acknowledged the problem.

Meanwhile, as a consequence a number of health surveillance assistants have told us, the number of people suffering from diarrhea has increased from 50 to 90 percent, a ticking time bomb for disease outbreaks.