Family feed 320 patients at Malawi’s hospital
Patel Samaj, a grouping of Patels in Malawi, donated 210 bags of 50 kilogrammes maize flour to paediactric wards at Queen Elizabeth Central Hospital (QECH) in Blantyre.
The gesture, according to the family, started on March 10, when they gave out another 110 bags of the same quantity. So far, the family has fed 320 patients at the hospital.
Chairperson of the group, Vinu Patel, said the Sunday donation was meant to fulfil the promise to come back on March 17 for another donation.
“Every month, the Patels of Malawi, as part of their social responsibility to help the needy, have been donating to various orphanages in villages, schools and hospitals.
“The grouping was formed in the 1940s in Malawi and today there are about 500 of them and thousands worldwide representing major business houses and other sectors in fields of development in their respective countries,” said Patel.
The group was led by Arjun Kalaria and Dhruv Khant (Patels) who are up-and-coming young Patels in the fields of medicine and technology.
Receiving the donations, QECH chief nursing officer Lucy Chigwenembe applauded the gesture by the Patels, but was quick to say that her hospital was running out of food just like any other hospital in the country.
“We appeal to well-wishers to bring in more maize flour so that all patients benefit.
“The Patels targeted the paediatric wards only. We are looking for other wards where we also have large numbers of patients,” said Chigwenembe.
