Patriots, a consortium of individuals and organisations within and outside Malawi, yesterday handed over to Zomba Central Hospital (ZCH) the first consignment of K1.14 billion worth of drugs and medical equipment.
The organisation alongside its United States of America-based partner Smiling Surgeons have mobilised K100 billion worth of medical equipment and supplies to improve healthcare service delivery in the country.
Presenting the consignment, the consortium’s chairperson Kamuzu Chibambo said the package was from the first of the 100 containers of 40-feet each set to be distributed in public hospitals nationwide.
He said each public hospital across the country’s 28 districts shall receive three containers of medical equipment and supplies worth a minimum of $536 000 (about K1 billion) as an outright gift.
Said Chibambo: “The goal is to ensure that hospitals have surplus resources to ably address various critical diseases. We, therefore, appeal to all hospital staff countrywide to exercise good stewardship over these donations.”
In his vote of thanks, ZCH hospital director Saulos Nyirenda committed that the drugs and the supplies will be used for the intended purpose.
“Malawi needs healthy people to develop, so the donation of medical drugs and supplies is crucial,” he said.
The consortium comprises the Patriots of Malawi, Smiling Surgeons and diaspora in North America, Embassy leadership and staff in Washington DC, Project Cure and the American People, Rotary and Lions Clubs of Malawi.
Other partners are National Bank of Malawi plc, Old Mutual Malawi Limited, Illovo Sugar (Malawi) plc, Press Trust, Ministry of Health, Christian Health Association in Malawi and Government of Malawi through Malawi Revenue Authority for the duty waivers. There are also several individuals.
In 2023, Patriots and Smiling Surgeons sponsored an assessor from USA who physically visited and assessed 10 hospitals, namely Nsanje and Salima district hospitals; Queen Elizabeth, Kamuzu, Mzuzu and Zomba central hospitals; Malamulo Seventh-Day Adventist Hospital in Makwasa, Thyolo, Bwaila Hospital and Likuni Mission Hospital in Lilongwe as well as Senga Bay Baptist Medical Centre in Salima. The assessment mirrored the needs of other health facilities.
