The Patriots have donated medical supplies and equipment worth K2.16 billion to Karonga District Hospital to enhance its service delivery.
The consignment under the Health Systems Strengthening Initiative included intensive care unit beds, patient monitors, diagnostic tools (X-ray and ultrasound machines), surgical kits, maternity and emergency care equipment, laboratory supplies and others.
Speaking on the sidelines of the donation, Karonga district director of health services David Sibale said the equipment will improve the district’s health services.
He said: “We have the Health Sector Strategic Plan III which calls for provision of equal and accessible medical equipment and supplies to health facilities.
“In the World Health Organisation building blocks for the health system, we are also tasked to have enough healthcare equipment and other biomedical technologies.”
Sibale said service delivery was crippled in the district due to lack of medical equipment such as beds and furniture.
He said Kaporo Health Centre, which serves over 66 000, will benefit along with Chilumba and Nyungwe rural hospitals as well as Mlare Maternity Wing.
Patriots’ board chairperson Kamuzu Chibambo said the project followed a nationwide needs assessment which indicated a health sector crisis.
“Assessment was done in collaboration with specialists from the USA, courtesy of funding from Project Cure. We want to serve many Malawians that struggle to access quality healthcare services,” he said.
On his part, Paramount Chief Kyungu of Karonga and Chitipa districts said people from the two districts will benefit from the support.
Meanwhile, a patient at Karonga District Hospita, Lewis Malema, said the ward he was placed in lacked beds for patients.
The consignment was the 10th as the Patriots already offloaded other 40-foot containers at Zomba Central, Likuni Mission, Bwaila Mission, Mzuzu Central, Queen Elizabeth Central, Nsanje, Mchinji and Chitipa district hospitals.
