China donates malaria drugs to Salima Hospital

The People’s Republic of China has donated malaria drugs (artemisinim) worth K58 million to Salima District Hospital as part of its commitment to assist Malawi deal with increased cases of malaria in the lakeshore district.

Visiting Chinese Vice-Minister of National Health and Family Planning Commission Wang Gouqiang officially presented the donation to Ministry of Health Principal Secretary Dan Namarika at the hospital on Wednesday.

Speaking before the symbolic hand over of the drugs, Wang said the donation follows the cordial relationship between the two governments.

Wang also said Chinese scientists and their Malawian counterparts will undertake further research to find ways of eradicating malaria.

In an interview, Namarika thanked China for the donation which he said will assist the hospital in service provision to its clients.

He said: “Generally, a donation of K58 million worth of drugs to our hospital is not a small thing as this means that over a period, the hospital will save on its budget for malaria drugs and that money will be used in other areas where there are shortfalls.”

Namarika said reports from Salima District Hospital have shown that the majority of patients are suffering from malaria. He said in the last two months the hospital has reported 200 000 cases of malaria. n