By Jimmy Chazama & Innocent Chunga
The Patriots, a Malawi-based organisation with volunteer membership in Malawi and the United States, has donated medical equipment and supplies worth K2.5 billion to Kamuzu Central Hospital (KCH) in Lilongwe.
The consignment, which was delivered to the health facility yesterday, came in a 40-foot container under the 100-Container Health Care Service Strengthening Initiative.
Container number 25 carried High Dependency Unit beds, patient monitors, X-ray and ultrasound machines, surgical kits, maternity and emergency care tools, personal protective equipment and laboratory supplies.
The items were selected after assessments involving hospital staff and local health authorities.
- Advertisement -
Patriots Health Sector Lead Chris Kang’ombe said the equipment must be protected.
“We are committed to supporting the health sector and easing the challenges facing our facilities,” Kang’ombe said.
Speaking after receiving the items, KCH Director General Dr Amos Msekandiana said the hospital would ensure the equipment is properly maintained.
“This donation will help us greatly in caring for patients in the ICU [Intensive Care Unit], out-patients and many others,” Msekandiana said.
- Advertisement -
- Advertisement -
Lilongwe City Mayor Peter Banda said the support had come at the right time.
In a related development, The Patriots donated medical equipment and supplies worth K2.5 billion to Nkhotakota District Hospital on Thursday.
Speaking during the handover ceremony, The Patriots member John Chikaonda said the donation marked the 23rd container out of the 100 they have lined up to support the health sector.
“We are very committed to supporting the health sector,” Chikaonda said.
Nkhotakota District Council Director of Human Resources and Administration Mathias Bulugama said the equipment was key to addressing challenges besetting the health sector.
“The donation will ease the financial burden on the district hospital office which would, otherwise, have needed to budget for some of the equipment,” he said.
This means, within six days, The Patriots has donated medical equipment worth K5 billion. The donation was made possible through Project C.U.R.E., which provided the equipment, and Islamic Relief USA, which covered shipping costs.
