Management of Mzuzu Central Hospital (MCH) has commended tobacco buying and processing company Alliance One Tobacco Malawi for donating various medical equipment to the hospital’s pediatric section, saying the development will greatly improve provision of medical services at the northern region’s referral facility.
Head of Pediatric Department at MCH Dr. Mphatso Mpando made the remarks during the handover ceremony of the medical equipment on Friday worth over K18 million which is part of the company’s corporate social responsibility programs in the country.
According to Dr. Mpando, the children’s ward is the most overwhelmed department at the hospital as it always receives between 80-100 cases every day that require proper diagnosis and development, which needs more equipment for staff to deliver their services with ease and speed.
“Mzuzu Central Hospital in general including the pediatric section receives many diabetic patients hence we always need equipment such as glucometers to test our patients so that in the end we can administer proper treatments to them. I’m therefore delighted to see that glucometers as well as glucosticks are part of the medical equipment that have been donated by Alliance One today and these will greatly help us in the children ward,” said Mpando.
She however assured management of the company that her staff at the pediatric section will take proper care of the donated equipment as it will go a long way in improving the health well being of children that are referred to the hospital for proper treatment.
“Let me urge other companies and organizations to emulate the gesture shown by Alliance One and channel their assistance too to Mzuzu Central Hospital just like many of them do donate to fellow referral hospitals of Kamuzu Central and Queen Elizabeth,” she said.
In his remarks, Corporate Affairs Officer for Alliance Tobacco Malawi Ben Kawonga said his company decided to donate the medical equipment to the northern region’s referral hospital as part of fulfilling its corporate social responsibility programs in the country which usually focuses at improving the social well-being of people.
According to Kawonga, under its corporate social responsibility program, Alliance One has been complementing the government’s efforts in the sectors of health, education, water and sanitation and environmental conservation among others with an aim of transforming people’s lives through improved living standards.
“As a corporate responsible company, management of Alliance One Tobacco thought it wise to procure and donate these medical equipment to Mzuzu Central Hospital so that it can use them to administer proper treatment and services to people here in the northern region of which some of them are tobacco growers which is our integral business,” said Kawonga.
Kawonga therefore urged staff members at the hospital to take proper care of the donated items so that they can go a long way in helping patients, especially children who are the future leaders of this country.Some of the equipment which Alliance One donated to the hospital include bilirubinometer, oxygen concentrators, urine collectors, patients screen, glucometers and HB electrophoresis among others.
