Katowo hospital gets K1.2m mattresses
Hewe Development Association (Heda) on Saturday donated 25 mattresses valued at K1.2 million to Katowo Rural Hospital in Rumphi.
Heda trustee Timothy Nzima disclosed that the organisation has also raised K12 million to build toilets and a water tank at the health facility as well as to procure teaching and learning materials for Katowo Community Day Secondary School.
He said: “Our focus is to address common needs in the area. One of the major challenges is lack of mattresses. But the donation is just a starting point,” he said.
Senior Chief Katumbi said the rural hospital has been operating with acute shortage of mattresses for five years as some purchased by the Ministry of Health were stolen.
The hospital received some mattresses from a candidate who was vying for Rumphi West parliamentary seat in 2014, but the politician repossessed them after a poll loss.
“Our plea is that the hospital should take care of the mattresses and make sure that no such incident repeats itself. We will keep our eyes open to ensure that no mattress is stolen,” he said.
Katowo hospital in-charge Tawakavu Gondwe said the donation will save patients at the 25-bed health facility from sleeping on the floor.
Only 15 beds had mattresses at the hospital which admits about 25 patients a day. “The gift is worthwhile. It will address the gap that we have been experiencing for many years,” he said.
