Union renovates Mchinji hospital water system

Water Employees Trade Union of Malawi (Wetum) has renovated a water system at Mchinji District Hospital’s paediatric ward.

The union, which comprises employees of the country’s five water boards, raised K5.1 million through its youth wing for the renovation and procurement of other medical supplies.

Wetum chairperson Emmanuel Ndadzerakulima Kanje said every year the youth wing identifies a health facility in one region to support and this year, they chose Mchinji District Hospital  in the Central Region.

“This is our corporate social responsibility. We want to give back to the community while at the same time reduce water losses through spillage which is common in most hospitals,” he said.

Central Region Water Board Mchinji Scheme manager Smart Imedi Phiri said the hospital gets high water bills due to spillage.

“With these renovations, we believe that we will not receive complaints about huge water bills. The renovation will also help the board to save water,” he said.

Mchinji District director of health and social services Juliana Kanyengambeta said the renovation has improved availability of running water in the children’s ward.

She said: “The initiative will also reduce costs incurred through water leakages.

“Again, sometimes the ward did not access water due to blocked pipes, but that is history now.”

Kanyengambeta said now that all bathrooms, toilets and the laundry section have running water, patients and guardians can practise hygiene.

A guardian, Zinenani Zulu commended the union for the renovation works, saying running water is critical for hygiene.

“In the face of cholera outbreak, we need water to improve sanitation and hygiene in hospitals,” she said.

Some of the medical supplies donated to the hospital are webiliser, 20 digital thermometers, five oxygen splitters, a baby coat, a heavy duty heater and 10 pulse oximeters.