Health centre gets medical equipment

Old Mutual Malawi plc has donated medical equipment worth K2 million to Nyanja Health Centre in Traditional Authority Kalumbu in Lilongwe to help its maternity wing to start operations. 

The maternity wing, whose construction was completed last year, stayed idle due to lack of equipment.

In a statement, Old Mutual Malawi group chief executive officer Edith Jiya said the Covid-19 pandemic has affected healthcare in the country.

Reads the statement in part: “As a responsible business, we are driven by the business imperative and a desire to be and remain  a purposeful organisation, not only in striving to be a profitable business, but by also playing a positive role in the communities that we operate in.”

Jiya has since asked health workers to take care of the equipment.

Lilongwe District Health Office (DHO) chief medical officer Dr Mary Nkunika said the donation came at the right time when pregnant women walked long distances to deliver.

“We will now open the maternity wing because we have the equipment,” she said.

On his part, Traditional Authority Kalumbu said the donation is a relief as  pregnant women used to travel long distances to Nathenje Health Centre for delivery.

“Things could get worse where people had no money for transport,” he said.

In random interviews, community members commended Old Mutual group for the initiative.

Elube Phiri said it was sad to see women walking long distance to hospital when the nearest facility had a maternity wing but only needed equipment.

The facility serves a population of 78 000 people.