Karonga hails TNM for K14m hospital

The District Commissioner for Karonga Rosemary Moyo has commended Malawi’s leading mobile network operator TNM for opening a K14 million health facility at Katili saying it will cut the long distance patients were walking to the district hospital.

DC Rosemary Moyo made the remarks during handover of the facility to government by TNM.

“The distance that we have covered from Karonga Boma to this area is so long and was a hazard to sick people, especially pregnant mothers, children and the elderly. We thank you TNM for considering Katili,” she said.

For his part, Karonga District Health Officer Dr Charles Sungani said the opening of Katili health centre will benefit people suffering from HIV/AIDS as they will access their Anti-Retroviral Treatment (ARTs) regimens and other care they require easily.

“People on ART were travelling 30 kilometres to get ARVs at the Karonga District Hospital but now with the opening of Katili, they will get their treatment right here,” he said.

TNM Chief Commercial Officer Dan Makata said his company was moved by the plight of pregnant mothers and children who could not get treatment on time due to the long distance required to reach the next health facility.

“We were concerned by reports that some critically ill patients, were losing life as a result of the long distance to the district hospital. Some pregnant mothers have also been struggling with deliveries. TNM as a patriotic Malawian company with the welfare of citizens at heart, therefore decided to do something about this challenge,”he said.

The health centre, initially a project of the European Union Micro Project, had been abandoned, a situation which left over 10,000 people in the area travelling a distance of 30 kilometres to access treatment at Karonga District Hospital.