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Cedep donates K10m drugs to hospitals

 

Centre for the Development of People (Cedep) last week donated drugs worth over K10 million to district health offices (DHOs) in Nkhata Bay, Mzimba North, Mangochi, Blantyre and Chikwawa.

Speaking after making the donation in Blantyre on Friday, Cedep executive director Gift Trapence said the gesture is part of the organisation’s corporate social responsibility.

Blantyre district nursing officer Mary Asani (in uniform) checking the drugs

“As non-governmental organisations [NGOs], we have the responsibility of supporting government in its efforts to improve people’s lives. Many patients are told to buy drugs after receiving prescriptions from hospitals and we thought of easing the problem because not everyone has money to buy drugs,” he said.

Trapence warned against the theft of drugs and called on DHOs to put on mechanisms aimed at preventing thefts.

Blantyre DHO Medson Matchaya thanked Cedep for the drugs which, he said, have come at a right time.

“People have been complaining that we lack some drugs. This donation will, therefore, ease the problem,” he said.

On theft of drugs, Matchaya said they have involved communities through health advisory committees to monitor drug movements.

The drugs include gentamycin, penicillin, ceftriaxone, doxycycline, erythromycin, metronidazole, azithromycin, clotrimazole, acyclovir, ciprofloxacin and podophylline paint.

Other supplies included disposable gloves, cotton wool, gauze square, syringes, water for injection, lignocaine and spirit. n

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