Written by Richard Kayenda
Embangweni Mission Hospital which is arguably one of the oldest health centres built by white missionaries in the southern part of Mzimba is currently running on short water supply amidst Covid-19 pandemic.
According to the hospital’s Director, Dr Kondwani Zgambo, the facility is in dire need of around K18 million so as to revamp water tanks at the facility.
Dr Zgambo further said the water challenge is currently jeopardising provision of health services at the hospital; particularly now that there is Covid-19 disease amongst Malawians, where safer water is needed as a preventive measure.
“The pumps we are using are very old. This time around it has really affected us much because this time around we want more water around us to make sure that infection prevention is taken care of. At the same time to make sure that different places are cleaned. But it’s a very big problem. So, currently as a hospital, we are urging people of goodwill to support us with funds amounting to K18 million as per the proposal that we are trying to write to different people that we can solve the water problem once and for all, especially at this point in time when we are to fight Covid-19 where water is very important,” said Dr Zgambo.
Meanwhile, a group of about 150 members calling itself friends of Embangweni Mission Hospital, has come in to help the hospital with Covid-19 related materials such as isolation tents, gumboots, hand sanitisers, face masks and thermometers worth over K5 million.
Speaking when she was donating the equipment, Chairperson of the group, Estelle Nuka, said as a group they decided to make the donation considering how critical health facilities are at the moment.
Nuka said: “The items that we donated today are specifically for prevention of Covid-19. We were guided by the hospital on the list of items. So, we have donated isolation tents, gumboots, face masks, hand sanitisers and other materials which we could afford.”
Embangweni Mission Hospital which was built in 1902, serves over 20 thousand people in Mzimba South where majority of them travel to and from the Republic of South Africa where Covid-19 pandemic is even on a higher rise.
