The people of Kasungu are upbeat that health service delivery will improve at Kasungu District Hospital and in other health centres following the donation of medical equipment and supplies by The Patriots.
The Patriots, comprised of Malawians at home and in the USA, have donated HDU beds and patient monitors, diagnostic tools (X-ray and ultrasound machines), surgical kits and instruments, as well as maternity and emergency care equipment among others, valued at K2.5 billion.
Speaking at Kasungu District Hospital during the welcoming of the 40-foot container loaded with the equipment and supplies, Senior Chief Dr. Kaomba expressed gratitude to The Patriots, calling the donation timely.
“It is true that we have many gaps in terms of equipment in our facilities and we are very grateful for this consignment. This will ease the challenges faced by both our staff and patients at Kasungu District Hospital.
The equipment will help patients across the district and we hope it will be well taken care of, properly maintained, and fairly distributed to all health centres,” Dr. Kaomba said.
In his remarks, The Patriots Board Member Chris Kang’ombe said the donation followed structured needs assessments carried out by The Patriots and their partners in collaboration with Kasungu District Hospital staff, local health authorities, and diaspora teams.
Kang’ombe added:“We need to develop a culture of maintaining and properly caring for this medical equipment so that it can serve Malawians well. By the end of next year, we would like to have provided 100 containers to 100 hospitals across the country. Our support will not only target the health sector, but also education, agriculture, and other sectors.”
The donation was made possible with support from Project C.U.R.E. (equipment and supplies) and was funded by Islamic Relief USA (shipping support).
District Commissioner James Kanyangalazi who also attended the handover said the donation has complemented government’s efforts to improve health service delivery.
“This donation is huge—something government alone would have struggled to manage. Let me assure you that the medical personnel at Kasungu District Hospital will be monitored to ensure the equipment is used for its intended purpose. We must be vigilant to prevent theft of drugs and equipment,” Kanyangalazi said.
Meanwhile, the district’s Director of Health Services, Dr. Emmanuel Golombe, pledged to safeguard the equipment and ensure it is fairly distributed to other health centres.
This marks the thirteenth deployment under Malawi’s landmark 100-Container Health Systems Strengthening Initiative, a national program estimated at over K250 billion aimed at transforming healthcare delivery across the country.
Launched in 2023, the initiative is spearheaded by The Patriots at home and abroad, the Malawi-USA diaspora, the Malawi Embassy in Washington, and other partners under the Malawi Initiative.
By Topson Banda
#KCRnews
