Group donates PPE to Ekwendeni Hospital

Patrons of Ekwendeni, a group of people from Ekwendeni in Mzimba District, has donated personal protective equipment (PPE) to Ekwendeni Mission Hospital to protect health workers from Covid-19.

The donation followed the hospital’s reports of shortage of resources such as oxygen cylinders at its Covid-19 treatment unit.

Speaking during the handover on Friday, the group’s chairperson Hutch Mthinda said they donated the PPE to enhance the hospital’s efforts to fight the pandemic.

“We are looking at addressing some of the socioeconomic challenges that the community is facing,” he said.

Mthinda has since urged other people from Ekwendeni to join them in addressing various challenges facing the area.

The hospital’s principal nursing officer Clara Wachepa commended the group for the donation, saying frontline health workers need protection from the disease.

However, the official expressed concern with the lack of drugs at the hospital for its mental health patients and those with epilepsy.

Said Wachepa: “We appeal to well-wishers to help us with these essential drugs, including chlorpromazine that helps to calm patients with epileptic conditions.

“Unfortunately, the district health office does not have the drug.”

She also asked government to support sickle cell anaemia patients who are not under the Service Level Agreement with government which enables them to get treatment for free at the hospital.

“We have about 60 patients that come every month for treatment and struggle to pay their medical bills,” said Wachepa.

The items included gloves and gowns.