PIL donates K12m drugs to govt

Petroleum Importers Limited (PIL) has donated assorted medical drugs to Malawi government that include antibiotics, anti-rabies vaccines and surgical gloves valued at K12 million (about $30 000).

PIL board chairperson Sibongiseni Khathi made the cheque presentation in Blantyre to government through Ministry of Health officials.

He said with reported drug shortages in public hospitals, PIL found it necessary to take up what he called social responsibility and help.

Khathi said PIL was hopeful the donation would reach out to the targeted Malawians seeking medical help while assisting government in its health delivery system.

Albert Khuwi, deputy director of health technical support services in the Ministry of Health, while receiving the donation on behalf of government, said the drugs were donated on need basis after the PIL worked with Central Medical Stores Trust (CMST).

Khuwi said: “Our mothers needing surgery will benefit from these items. Pregnant women too that will need operation to deliver their babies will need the assorted items donated. Khuwi, while thanking PIL for kind and timely gesture, said the country was trying hard to improve crucial health indicators such as maternal mortality ratio and under-five mortality rate.

He said the PIL donation directly responds to the ever increasing demand of medical supplies in public hospitals.