Japan commits K1.1bn to PPE production

 The Government of Japan has committed to provide a $1.3 million (about K1.1 billion) grant to Malawi to support the production of various personal protective equipment (PPE) locally.

Japanese Ambassador Iwakiri Satoshi said this on Saturday at the launch of the production of Covid-19 supplies project at the newly constituted Kamuzu University of Health Sciences (Kuhes) in Blantyre.

The project will see public universities, including Kuhes, Malawi University of Science and Technology (Must), Lilongwe University of Agriculture and Natural Resources, Mzuzu Univer s i ty and Malawi University of Business and Applied Sciences partnering to produce the PPE.

Sma l l a nd medium enterprises (SMEs) are also expected to take part in the initiative.

Satoshi said the funding will be provided from the Japanese Supplementary Budget through the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) .

He said: “It is in view of this, the project will boost domestic manufacturing of PPEs and other Covid-19 supplies. Therefore, this project will help the economic growth of Malawi as well.

“Furthermore, I hope that this project will enable Malawi to become a regional supply centre of anti-Covid-19 equipment in the near future.”

While urging all partners involved to use the funding for its intended purpose, the ambassador said the response to Covid-19 is largely everyone’s responsibility, stressing that local institutions must take the lead and be a part of the solution.

In a separate interview, UNDP resident representative Shigeki Komatsubara said they have decided to play a leading role in the project to ensure that Malawi can be a focal point for PPE production.

In a separate interview, the project’s chairperson David Mkwambisi said they will ensure there is capacity building and that there is production of quality products that can be on the market and accessed by people who don’t have resources.

“This is also a project that’s trying to strengthen the relationship between public universities as well as government but also address the needs being faced by communities,” he said.

On her part, Minister of Health Khumbize Chiponda, who was the guest of honour, said the project will help the country to be self-reliant in as far as production of the PPE is concerned.

S heal so hailed the involvement of SMEs in the project, stressing that it will help boost the country’s economy.