National News

NPL Mother’s Fun Run raises K16m

There was jubilation in Malawi’s central district of Nkhotakota on Saturday when Nation Publications Limited (NPL) led the community in the 2012 Mother’s Day Fun Run which raised about K16 million (about $54 000).

Mother’s Day Fun Run is an NPL initiative which offers a unique way of celebrating motherhood and has since 2005 seen the company assisting various health facilities across the country to acquire medical equipment and other materials that assist in safe delivery for pregnant women.

The items include resuscitaires, oxygen concentrators, ultrasound scanning machines, electric autoclaves, delivery beds, plastic wares and scanning machines.

The materials were handed over to the district’s health office at a colourful event which saw a cross-section of the district’s jubilant communities joining in the fun.

The event was also spiced up by a 2.5-kilometre run from Nkhotakota District Council offices to the district hospital.

Notable people who joined the run included Minister of Energy Cassim Chilumpha and UNFPA Country Representative Athenase Nzokirishaka.

Speaking during the event, NPL chief executive officer Mbumba Achuthan said the project seeks to contribute towards promoting safe motherhood in the country.

“At Nation Publications Limited, we have our own unique way of celebrating motherhood through our fun run which is unique in the sense that we celebrate motherhood with life-saving action, donating healthcare utilities to maternity wards of carefully selected government-run hospitals and health centres.

“Safe motherhood means ensuring that all women or mothers receive the care they need to be safe and healthy throughout pregnancy and childbirth. Contrary to this, every minute of every day, somewhere in the world and most often in a developing country like ours, a woman dies from complications related to pregnancy or childbirth,” said Achuthan.

She said for every woman who dies due to pregnancy complications, between 30 and 50 women suffer injuries or infections.

“When a mother dies, children lose their primary caregiver, compromising the rights of the rest of the family. Her family loses her love, her nurturing and her productivity inside and outside the home,” said Achuthan.

She said apart from the district hospital, other health facilities benefiting from the K16 million medical equipment and cash donations are Dwambazi Rural Hospital as well as Malowa, Nkhunga and Katimbila health centres.

She said so far, the fun run has benefited eight public health facilities in seven districts, including Zomba, Thyolo, Karonga, Dedza, Mzuzu and Lilongwe.

Achuthan said the fun run will go to Rumphi next year.

Chilumpha, who pledged K400 000 (about $1 334), applauded NPL for the initiative which he said was a demonstration of the company’s passion to contribute towards reducing maternal deaths in the country.

“It is always sad when giving birth brings death to the mother. I appeal to other people and organisations to emulate NPL’s efforts and do something to stop deaths of mothers due to pregnancy complications,” he said.

Nzokirishaka also applauded NPL for sustaining the fun run initiative from 2005, saying while Malawi is making significant efforts to reduce maternal deaths, more needs to be done to deal with the problem.

Companies and individuals that have assisted the initiative are Dossani Trust, Press Trust, Limbe Leaf Tobacco, UNFPA, Press Corporation, Candlex Limited, NBS Bank, Malawi Savings Bank, Blue Elephant, Arkay Plastics, Lilongwe-based Jones Thombozi and Shaefer Mumba. 

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