By Cathy Maulidi-
In a quest to support government in the war against COVID-19, two parastatal organisations; the Lilongwe Water Board and Press Trust have made a multi-million kwacha worth donations to the ministry of health to support Bingu National Stadium Field Hospital.
The donation was made on Friday 5th February and was received by Health Minister Khumbize Kandodo Chiponda.Apart from donating 156 oxygen cylinders valued at k10 million Lilongwe Water Board has also Committed a water bouser to be servicing the facility for an initial period of 3 months at an estimated amount of k5.6 million.George Kajanga, LWB Board Chairperson said the donation is just a fulfillment of the Company’s Corporate Social responsibility.’In total we have made a donation of 15.6 Million Kwacha. This is part of responding to President Lazarus Chakwera’s call for corporate support in the fight against Covid-19′, said Kajanga.
On its part, Press Trust has donated 30 oxygen concentrators, 30 oxygen cylinders, 30 regulators, 30 oxygen face masks,40 infusion pumps,10 syringe pumps and 1 ventilatorAccording to Audrey Mwala, Press Trust Board Chairperson the equipment has cost the Trust K87 million.”Our total contribution has been valued at 200 million kwacha with other funds being channelled towards the rehabilitation of health facilities in Mzimba, Salima and Mangochi to turn them into isolation centres for both COVID-19 as well as other health outbreaks that require isolating patients for treatment and prevention of further spread”, Said Mwala
Reacting to the donation, Khumbize Chiponda thanked the two parastatals while urging the health workers not to sell the equipment to private hospitals.Meanwhile Dr Jonathan Ngoma, Kamuzu Central Hospital Director who is also among the team manning the field hospital promised to take good care of the items.Government turned Bingu National Stadium into a Covid-19 field clinic after Kamuzu Central Hospital had run out of space to accommodate Covid-19 patients. Malawi is grappling with impacts of COVID-19 which has already disturbed almost all sectors of the country due to travel restrictions, imposed curfew on businesses among others aimed at slowing the pace of transmission of the virus.
Various organisations, companies and private citizens have teamed up to support government with resources such as medical supplies which are very few in most COVID-19 treatment centres considering the increase in number of admissions and fatalities.
