By Alfred Chauwa & Mike Zgambo
Hospital administrators at Malawi’s three referral hospitals, Queen Elizabeth, Kamuzu Central (KCH) and Mzuzu Central applauded Kamuzu Academy Alumni for showing love for Malawi people for the K20 million donation of personal protective equipment (PPEs) as support for frontline health workers in Malawi in the fight against Coronavirus.
KCH director, Dr Jonathan Ngoma
KCH director, Dr Jonathan Ngoma said what the alumni have done is in line with community participation regarding the primary health care, adding that the referral centre is on mismatch on the need of the people and what they can provide.
He said KCH is overwhelmed by its own citizens and also those from its neighbouring countries such as Mozambique and Zambia.
He said currently the facilitate has one patient at its admission facility and appealed to welwishers to still come and help the COVID-19 response.
Queens’ chief health service administrator,
Gibson Mgwira
On the long term measures, Ngoma said there is need for this country to be self sufficient in as far as health service delivery is concerned.
In his comment at Mzuzu Central Hospital, public relations officer, Dr Anold Kaira thanked the Kamuzu Academy alumni for the gesture and also asked other well-wishers to borrow a leaf from them as the fight against the pandemic continues.
“In cerebration of the receipt of these items, we indeed thank Kamuzu Academy alumni organising team and the rest of the members that these donation come at the right time.
“Mzuzu Central Hospital appreciates that we have received this donation which is going to help us in fight against the COVID-19,” Kaira said.
He added that so far Mzuzu registered four cases since the first case in April and that three are in self quarantine while one is still in isolation facility at the hospital. No death has been recorded.
Two of the alumni, one in school
cardigan, the other in tie
Queen Elizabeth Central Hospital’s chief health service administrator, Gibson Mgwira echoed same sentiments, saying they have appreciated that even KCN and Mzuzu has been specifically targeted.
“KCN is the main centre for our national COVID-19 response and here at Queens we also have established a special COVID-19 response theatre.
“And every visitor at Queens is screened upon entry because we want to make sure our health workers are protected so that they can serve the public well,” he said.
The assorted items donated to the three referral hospitals are in total — 400 gowns, 400 aprons, 1000 N95 masks, 5,000 3-ply surgical masks, 50,000 pairs of gloves, and 108 bottles of sanitisers.
In their remarks the alumni, while paying special tribute to all healthcare workers across the world who lost their lives to COVID-19 in helping others, said the donation is a small piece of the cake that is required to meet the national need for PPEs.
Coronavirues alert: Respect to health workers
“The biggest help we can all give to the cause is to follow guidelines on avoiding infection. This will reduce our risk of passing the infection on to our cherished healthcare workers.”
Another special mention was made that one of the donors is from Scotland, who contributed K5 million (£5,000) as a tribute to Malawian nurse Elsie Sazuze, who lost her life to the COVID-19 helping people in the UK.
Late Elsie Sazuze
Amongst the healthcare workers across the world who lost their lives to COVID-19 while helping others are Malawians who died in the line of duty in other countries, — nurse Elsie Sazuze, Dr. Austin Gunda and Grant Maganga.
“One of our donors in Scotland who chose to be anonymous donated £5000 as ‘a gift to Malawians in tribute to Elsie Sazuze’,” she said.
“It is their loss that alerted us to the dangers that healthcare workers face on a daily basis and therefore prompted our campaign. May their souls rest in eternal peace.”
Coronavirus alert
A report on BBC on April 9 said relatives of the care home where Sazuze worked paid their tribute to the Malawian nurse, saying she was dedicated to helping people.
The report said Sazuze fell ill at home in Birmingham before being taken to Good Hope Hospital in Sutton Coldfield where she died.
Her husband Ken, who is training to be a nurse, told the BBC that Elsie understood the risks of working on the front line but was happy to help people.—Additional reporting by Duncan Mlanjira