By SAM MTHAMBALA
Staff from Standard Bank Karonga Bureau De Change recently donated assorted items worth K1.5 million to Karonga District Hospital as way of improving delivery of health services among communities in the border district.
The donation was the first engagement with the community by Karonga BDC months after opening its doors in the district.
The donated consignment comprised a superior small cooker, three wheel chairs, two 25kg Chlorine HTH, six white gumboots, two walker with heels, ten linen.
Other items were three instrument trolleys, ten guardian bedside chairs, two BP Machines and two Paediatric scale hanging.
Among the materials delivered by the Standard bank, were wheel chairs, baby weighing scales, BP machines, gum boots, gloves, mayo stands, walkers and sanitizers among others
In his remarks Karonga District Health Officer, Dr David Sibale expressed appreciation to the BDC for what he termed a timely gesture.
“The donation has come at a time when we were running short of the items that made the consignment. Some of our departments like orthopedics and others physiotherapy lacked equipment like the wheel chairs and walkers. This will assist to ensure that transportation of very sick patients from the reception to wards much easier,” he said.
As regards to Covid-19 pandemic, Sibale also observed that the materials will play a vital role in protecting health workers from contracting the virus.
“Infection prevention is very critical this time around because of Covid 19 pandemic. Hence the donation of some personal protective equipment such as gum boots, gloves and sanitizers among other items, will go a long way in assisting in the fight against the pandemic other equally infectious diseases.”
Karonga BDC Sales Manager, Fiskani Chiyendawamba, labelled the donation as an opportunity to create sustainable relations with the communities.
“Since we opened our doors for business in March last year we have registered satisfactory business growth all because the community has chosen to do business with us. The donation is therefore a timely gesture to cement the relationship event stronger. Remember our purpose as a bank is to drive the growth of Malawi which is our home. We promise to continue building capacity within the community in all aspects to build a better Malawi for all,” he said
Karonga District Hospital is a referral facility that services 22 health centres and sometimes Chitipa District.
Standard Bank Bureau De Change is a subsidiary of Standard Bank Malawi offering foreign currency exchange and Money transfer services. The bureau offers the best deals in forex trading and trade in the four major currencies- USD, GBP, EURO and ZAR.
The bureau also does money transfers where customers can receive money from around the world using its wide network of branches across the country through Money gram and Western Union.
Standard Bank Bureau De Change has branches in Lilongwe, Blantyre, Karonga, KIA, Chileka and Mwanza border.