By Wezzie Gausi:
The government of India has donated medical equipment worth over $1 million (approximately K1,7 billion) to Malawi to support the establishment of a permanent artificial limb fitment centre at Zomba Central Hospital.
The development is expected to transform the lives of people who have physical disabilities.
The donation follows two successful artificial limb fitment camps in Malawi, which assisted hundreds of people who had lost limbs due to accidents or health complications such as diabetes.
During a farewell event held in Lilongwe, Indian High Commissioner to Malawi Subbiah Gopalakrishnan described the project as one of the most fulfilling initiatives during his tenure.
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“In the morning, patients would come in wheelchairs or on stretchers and, by the afternoon, many were walking on their own. It was an emotional moment witnessing such a dramatic transformation,” Gopalakrishnan said.
“This is a small intervention that has changed lives and restored dignity,” he added.
He further announced that in addition to the equipment already handed over, a shipment of 1,000 artificial limbs would arrive in Malawi in the coming month to immediately kickstart operations at the Zomba centre.
Health Minister Khumbize Kandodo Chiponda welcomed the donation and hailed the longstanding cooperation between India and Malawi in the health sector.
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“With the rising cases of road accidents and non-communicable diseases such as diabetes, many Malawians—particularly youths and breadwinners— have been left physically disabled. This donation is a timely and life-changing gift,” Kandodo Chiponda said.
She added that the initiative would help reduce the burden on the country’s central hospitals and bring services closer to service seekers in the Eastern Region.
The minister also appealed for continued support from India, particularly in training opportunities for Malawian doctors in areas such as nuclear medicine, as the country seeks to expand its specialist healthcare services.
India and Malawi have maintained a strong development partnership over the years, with support extending to medicine, education, agriculture and information and communication technology.
