Karonga Hospital patients go 2 months without food

Minister of Health Khumbidze Kandodo- Chiponda’s visit to Karonga District Hospital on Saturday revealed that patients have gone two months without receiving food because the facility owes K12 million to food suppliers.

In an interview, she said the visit was to appreciate the availability of drugs at the hospital, especially anaesthetic drugs, blood and other essential life-saving products at the maternity ward.

The visit comes days after the Association of  Malawian Midwives (Amami) and the National Organisation of Nurses and Midwives of Malawi (Nonm) jointly issued a statement last week bemoaning  acute shortage of drugs and essential medical supplies in public hospitals. 

Said Chiponda: “I came to Karonga on a party assignment as the Malawi Congress Party national organising secretary, but decided to branch here as a Minister of Health to appreciate the availability of drugs as you might be aware this week  Amami and Nonm issued a statement that most public hospitals do not have essential drugs and supplies.”

The minister has since urged Karonga District Council to work on modalities of  paying the suppliers for the hospital to resume providing food to patients.

Karonga district director of health and social services David Sibale admitted that patients have gone two months without being served food by the hospital.

He said this was due to a huge debt the facility owes suppliers dating from 2018.

“However, with the minister’s visit, I am optimistic that something tangible will come out,” said Sibale.

Karonga district commissioner Paul Kalilombe asked central government to help clear the outstanding debts.