In 2022, moved by challenges in the delivery of health services in various sectors in the country, some Malawian citizens resolved to do something about it.
That resolve by Malawians at home called Patriots, their USA-based sister organisation known as Smiling Surgeons Incorporated, and others, struck the right chord.
After more than two years of consultations, networking and collaboration with potential partners, their idea and efforts have finally paid off. They are now ready to deliver the initial $30 million-plus (over K60 billion) bounty of medical equipment and supplies to meet the needs of over 50 health facilities from Nsanje to Chitipa to address healthcare delivery challenges.
‘‘The first consignment of the equipment is expected to arrive in the country during the second week of October,’’ Patriots’ chairperson and one of the charity’s directors, Kamuzu Chibambo, said in an interview this week.
Patriots has three main objectives, namely:
· to mobilize relevant human resources through networking with other interest groups and stakeholders to undertake social-economic projects for the public good in Malawi;
· to mobilize financial and material resources both locally and internationally for the benefit of charitable activities in various sectors including social, educational, agricultural, entrepreneurship, global warming and health spheres;
· to mobilize appropriate technologies and expertise from the international community for the enhancement of local communities; and
· in liaison with fellow Malawians and well-wishers in the diaspora, to identify potential donors of medical supplies and equipment, educational materials, agricultural tools and equipment for the public good.
In order to effectively deliver on the above objectives, Patriots was registered in October, 2023 as a charity organization.
Apart from Chibambo, other directors of Patriots are Pastor Stain Mabangwe, Lenia Bonongwe, Prof. Edrinnie Kayambazinthu, Prof. Maureen Chirwa, Chris Kang’ombe and Henry Mdebwe.
Smiling Surgeons Inc. incorporated in the state of Maryland, is a not-for-profit organisation under the United States Internal Revenue Services, according to Chibambo.
Said Chibambo: ‘‘Patriots and Smiling Surgeons Inc have jointly undertaken to deliver to Malawi’s health sector 50 containers (40 foot each) of medical equipment and supplies. The shipment cost alone per container from USA to Malawi is $36,000. Each container has an estimated fair market value of $536,000.
‘‘Each public hospital in all the 28 districts from Chitipa to Nsanje shall receive medical equipment and supplies worth a minimum of $536 000 (approx. MK1 Billion) as an outright gift.
‘‘All this bounty is outside the national budget. This timely medical equipment and supplies gift will essentially free up public resources that would otherwise have been utilized to source medical equipment and supplies to fund other areas,’’ quipped Chibambo.
A statement by Patriots says the endowment translates into a total gift of not less than $30 million.
‘‘Other international partners have pledged to bless Malawi with even much larger humanitarian aid which shall have a profound impact upon the nation’s health delivery system.
‘‘After identifying existing sector needs, Patriots then collaborates with leaders in those sectors for relevant and practical solutions.
‘‘Under Phase 1, focus is on the health sector. In this respect, Patriots is working with the Ministry of Health, Christian Health Association of Malawi (CHAM), Muslim Association of Malawi and other health establishments in the country in the identification of various areas of need for possible intervention and support. Subsequent phases shall target, amongst others, the education and agriculture sectors.’’
According to the statement, the charity is prioritising the health sector to help address the acute challenge of inadequate medical equipment and supplies in the health facilities recognising that only healthy citizens can meaningfully contribute to the nation’s socio-economic development.
In light of this reality, Patriot’s sister organisation Smiling Surgeons reached out to Project C.U.R.E. in USA to help secure medical equipment and supplies for the country’s public hospitals.
Project C.U.R.E. is one of the largest distributors of donated medical equipment for international medical relief to health facilities in 135-plus countries.
Chibambo said to that end, Patriots and Smiling Surgeons in 2023 sponsored an assessor from USA who physically visited and assessed 10 hospitals, namely, Nsanje District Hospital, Queen Elizabeth Central Hospital, Malamulo Seventh-Day Adventist Church Hospital, Zomba Central Hospital, Kamuzu Central Hospital, Mzuzu Central Hospital, Bwaila District Hospital, Likuni Mission Hospital, Salima District Hospital and Senga Bay Baptist Medical Centre in Salima, whose findings mirrored the needs of other health facilities.
The various stakeholders that are collaborating with Patriots and Smiling Surgeons in mobilising medical equipment and supplies signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) bringing them together for the task.
The local collaborating institutions and/or organisations are the Ministry of Health, Kamuzu University of Health and Science (KUHeS), Christian Health Association of Malawi (CHAM), other health institutions, Rotarians and Lions Club.
The Secretary for Health signed the MOU on behalf of the Ministry of Health.
Furthermore, Patriots in collaboration with Smiling Surgeons have so far pulled off two Maxillofacial Surgical Camps at the Queen Elizabeth Central Hospital where over 60 patients between last year and 2024 underwent surgeries free of charge. Each of those operations would have cost about $3.6 million USA if treatment had been sought outside Malawi. These surgeons and support medical experts use personal time off and their own resources to afford Malawians these free surgeries.
Further good news to Malawi is that another consignment of 50 containers of medical equipment and supplies worth $30 million has just been secured. Soon, an assessor will be flying to Malawi to carry out another needs assessment of community hospitals and health centres.
The aggregate medical gift under both phases 1 & 2 above no doubt shall have a profound impact on the public health delivery service.
To help shore up the delivery of services by Ministry of Health and CHAM, Patriots, Rotary and Lions Clubs are setting up monitoring and evaluation teams for each hospital to augment surveillance efforts, proper training, repairs and sustainability plans.
After the health sector, Patriots plan to move to other sectors which are also facing various challenges starting with education, followed by agriculture; technology and other initiatives in advanced technologies and global warming.
Confirming the arrangement, Project C.U.R.E. announced in its Rolling Operational Plan (ROP) 2024-2025, that it is setting forth its continued contribution to strengthening healthcare in Malawi on an annual rolling basis.
Project C.U.R.E. says it is working in close collaboration with the Ambassador of the Republic of Malawi to the United States of America, retired Justice Esme Janet Chombo, and Smiling Surgeons are involved in the implementation together with Project C.U.R.E. team and stakeholders in Malawi including Patriots, Rotarians, and Lions club members.
‘‘This plan is meticulously crafted in alignment with the Republic of Malawi’s national public health strategy (HSSP III) that affirms the country’s commitment to achieving the UN Sustainable Development Goals as well as Universal Health Coverage (UHC).
‘‘In particular, Project C.U.R.E.’s contribution supports one of the HSSP III main objectives, namely: ‘improving the availability, accessibility and quality of health infrastructure and medical equipment’ and establishing ‘quality health service delivery that is effective, efficient and equitable.’’
Patriots and Smiling Surgeons are committed to significantly help improve health delivery services so that Malawian people should only travel to seek external medical assistance out of choice and not necessity.
‘‘On this note Patriots would like to acknowledge and appreciate the huge contributions made by National Bank of Malawi for providing free accommodation and food for the visiting American experts, Old Mutual, the Ministry of Health, Queen Elizabeth Central Hospital and private individuals that ensured that the surgical camps were conducted successfully.
‘‘In a special way, Patriots would like to sincerely thank the Smiling Surgeons Inc. for mobilizing medical experts from USA who travelled to Malawi at their own cost and volunteered their precious time, resources and instruments for the two surgical camps.
In addition, Patriots convey deep gratitude to Dr Tania Nkungula for donating to KUHeS dental mobile clinic equipment, supplies, a school bus to be a mobile dental clinic and shipping to Malawi to KUHeS at a total cost of over $424,000. This facility shall help the Dental school inter alia to travel to local communities to conduct surgeries and training. Other diaspora also donated 15 imac 27” computers to be used by dental students, lecturing professionals and two 27” imac computers for Dedza Secondary School.
Patriots also appreciate the local press for ably raising awareness of both surgical camps.
