Malawi Relief Fund-UK donates K82m-worth of essential equipment to Queens Hospital’s ENT Unit

* The charitable organisation has been working with visiting consultants from the UK, Dr. Chris Bem and Dr. Chris Raine

* Who have been providing their services for free at Queen and its ENT Unit to improve the two operating theaters

* ENT specialists treat fundamental functions of life such as hearing & balance, swallowing & speech

* As well as breathing, sleep issues, allergies & sinuses, head & neck cancer and skin disorders

By Duncan Mlanjira

Malawi Relief Fund (MRF)-UK has donated to Queen Elizabeth Central Hospital essential equipment of two autoclaves, glostovent Anesthesia system, two diathermy machines and 6 beds for the referral hospital’s ear, nose & throat (ENT) Unit.

The equipment cost K82 million which was raised through MRF donors and stakeholders in a charity campaign in the UK aimed at improving the ENT theatres.

A statement from MRF-UK says they have been working with visiting consultants from the UK, Dr. Chris Bem and Dr. Chris Raine, who have been providing their services for free at Queen and its ENT Unit to improve the two operating theatres.

It adds that over the years, the consultants have undertaken hundreds of operations including many complex life-saving thus they faced challenges that the theatres lacked basic provision including essential equipment required to undertake operations. It is the only hospital providing ENT operations in the country.

Malawi Relief Fund’s UK-based member, Mohammed Mangera is quoted in the statement as saying: “We are delighted to have been involved in the initiative.

“There are only two hospitals in the country providing ENT services and according to the World Health Organisation 850,000 people in Malawi require some form of ENT interventions.

“There are real challenges with shortage of equipment and trained medical personnel to provide ENT care. A key component of the programme included Improve the ENT facilities at Queens, improve access to service and improve capacity such as training clinicians in rural and district areas.”

 

He added that many patients present with life-threatening conditions and the theatre — having been well equipped and with the support from the visiting consultants — will hopefully save many lives.

“The equipment will no doubt improve the theatres and enable the consultants to undertake the operations more regularly, efficiently and safely.”

He further urged the ENT Unit and the hospital to look after the equipment to ensure as many people as possible can benefit from the better services.

ENT specialists treat fundamental functions of life such as hearing & balance, swallowing, speech, breathing, sleep issues, allergies & sinuses, head & neck cancer and skin disorders.

According to ENT.Heath.org, half of patients going to primary care offices have some sort of ENT issue and that almost everyone has had a stuffy nose, clogged ears, or sore throat.

ENT specialists treat a diverse range of conditions and disorders of the ears, nose, throat, head, and neck region — from simple to severe, for all persons, at all stages of life.

Malawi Relief Fund-UK is UK-based charity registered as an NGO in Malawi, which focusses on improving access to education, healthcare, clean water and providing decent homes.

MRF-UK has undertaken a range of initiative and some key initiatives include providing over 35,000 eye cataract operations; providing over 2,500 tap water points including 250 boreholes and construction of 4,000 decent homes in rural areas, in response to Cyclone Freddy that left many people homeless, MRF-UK built climate change resilient houses for the vulnerable.

The charity also provided over 300 scholarships at universities; supported over 600 students at teacher training institutions; operates a vocational training centre and information vocational training in 3 rural centres as well as managing early childhood development in rural areas.

For the vocational training, the graduates are supported with start-up toolkit for them to hit the ground running while in the provision of houses, the families are provided with household items such as mattresses, kitchen utensils and food packages.

In September, MRF-UK, in collaboration with Issa Foundation (UK), handed over 100 climate change-resilient houses in Mayani, Dedza District in their partnership to assist vulnerable elderly women.

The houses were complemented with boreholes that were sunk around the communities as well as places of worship and a Madrasa that includes early childhood development facility.

Also constructed are facilities for vocational training in tailoring, carpentry & joinery and brick laying, taking cognizance that Mayani is one of the poorest areas in the district as well as at national level — whose people live below poverty lines.

In an interview, MRF-UK Country Coordinator, Yakub Adam Vialli said this is the reinforcement of the two charities in their profound commitment to continue supporting poor people in Dedza and Malawi as a whole.

In March this year, the two charities handed over 200 climate change-resilient houses in the areas of Traditional Authority (T/A) Maganga in Salima District and in November last year, over 142 were constructed in the villages of Mchiliko and Malowa in Namwera, Mangochi District.

MRF-UK started building low cost houses since the floods of 2015 in Chiradzulu, Mangochi, Ntaja, Nselema, Namwera, Zomba, Phalombe, Salima and Salima that became the charity’s catchment areas for assistance.

Provision of clean and safe water is one of MRF-UK objective in assisting humanitarian needs of vulnerable people as well as food handouts and the gift of sight, among many other projects.

In July, MRF-UK achieved another milestone by graduating 95 students in informal vocational training programmes of bricklaying, joinery & carpentry, and tailoring — done in collaboration with government institution, Technical, Entrepreneurial and Vocational Education and Training Authority (TEVETA).

The training was done at Maone Vocational Training Center, which provides opportunities to rural communities who have no formal qualifications aimed at improving the standards of technical, entrepreneurial and vocational education and training.

Maone Vocational Training Center is operated by MRF-UK, with support from Issa Foundation that offers formal vocational training programmes including plumbing, bricklaying, carpentry and joinery, electrical and PV Solar.

MRF works closely with the government authority, TEVETA, and at the end of the programme, each of graduates receive a toolkit which included essential tools and equipment, whilst the tailoring programme graduates received a sewing machine — to enable the graduates to undertake paid work and or produce items for sale to earn a living.

Valli maintains that this programme is vital for the economy, saying: “Our objective is to promote empowerment and sustainability. The informal programmes improve access to education and training for all, in particular those in rural areas.

“We have taken the education and learning to the rural areas in order to improve accessibility and inclusion in the education system. Due to the success and demand, we have planned to open another 5 centres. We are also working with TEVETA to see how we can improve the informal programme.”

Valli further expressed his thanks and appreciation to Issa Foundation for providing financial resources to enable Maone Centre to deliver the vocational training programmes.

Though its catchment areas are Zomba, Chiradzulu, Phalombe and Mangochi, MRF-UK swiftly moved in to assist flood victims of Cyclone Ana last year and Freddy in March with relief items.