KARONGA-(MANA)-Seven men and two women were Sunday, afternoon May 5, 2024 rushed to Karonga District Hospital after a tree fell onto a restaurant in Karonga Main Market in which they were served with food.
The nine people who survived various degrees of injuries are still admitted and receiving medical treatment at the health facility.
According to Public Relations Officer for Karonga Police Station, George Mulewa, the incident happened Sunday in the afternoon.
Director of Health and Social Services (DHSS) for Karonga District Council, David Sibale, confirmed that the accident survivors are still receiving treatment at Karonga District Hospital.
“As of today, we have two female patients and seven male patients. They are generally in a stable condition and some of them may be discharged today,” said Sibale.
KARONGA-(MaraviPost)-Health authorities in Karonga have disclosed that the district has recorded 65 neonatal and 13 maternal deaths in the period of January to June of 2023.
This was revealed on Thursday during an engagement that the Catholic Commission for Justice and Peace (CCJP) under the Karonga Diocese held to lobby duty bearers for funding of a maternity wing at the Karonga District Hospital.
In an interview Senior Nursing Officer at KDH Komani Moyo, attributed the increase of the neonatal and maternal deaths down to labor complications during delivery as a result of inadequate infrastructure in the current maternity wing.
“Due to inadequate space at the maternity wing we are struggling to deal with emergencies when they arise when the woman has failed to deliver naturally because we only have one operating theatre which cutters for all surgical interventions at the hospital hence delays as there might be already someone in the operating theatre,” he explained.
Moyo added the construction of a maternity wing will contribute to the reduction of neonatal and maternal molarity and ease challenges encountered which include labor and delivery wards, antenatal ward and operating theatre.
On his part CCJP Project Officer Tuntufye Simwimba, pointed out that since Malawi is a signatory of the Abuja declaration which state that 15% of every national budget should be allocated to health.
However the country has not lived up to the declaration as it only allocates about 10% to health.
“The inadequate funding to the health sector is leading to the challenges that many health centers are experiencing including Karonga as evidently seen with the increase numbers of neonatal and maternal deaths which is a sad and concerning situation thus we thought of organizing this engagement to lobby for resources for the construction of a maternity wing,” he said.
However one of the health analyst George Jobe, has employed the Government and the corporate world to come in urgently.
The construction of the maternal wing will address the alarming numbers of neonatal and maternal deaths in Karonga which he describes as a setback to the development of Malawi.
With funding from Norwegian Church Aid (NCA) and Dan Church Aid (DCA) CCJP are carrying out a fighting inequality project in Karonga
KARONGA-(MaraviPost)-The United Nation High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR) has donated medical supplies to Karonga District Hospital with a call to authorities to ensure that the supplies are used for the intended purpose.
The donation which includes Lumepantrine, Amoxilin, Sodium Chloride among others comes as many health facilities in the country continues to face an acute shortage of drugs and medical supplies.
Speaking in an interview after making the donation Field Associate for the organization Themba Nyambose, said the donation is meant to ease challenges encountered at the facility.
“Some of the assorted items that we have donated are items that the hospital was lacking which are critical when treating patience like the medical drugs hence this will also help the hospital improve on its service delivery,” he said.
Nyambose has since expressed confidence that whatever they have donated will go a long way in assisting Malawians and asylum seekers who are on transit from the refugee camp in the district.
On his part Field Officer for the Department of Refugees and Homeland Security Musanje Ng’oma, said since asylum seekers access the same medical supplies that government allocates to its citizens as such UNHCR was compelled to do their part of social responsibility with the donation.
Receiving the donations on behalf of the Director for Health and Social Services for Karonga, Senior Medical Officer Clara Mhango, commended the organization for the timely assistance which she says it will go a long way in addressing the various challenges at the hospital.
“We didn’t have some of the resources that they have brought which meant we were unable to treat some of the patience that came here so much so that we had to even refer them to the central hospital in Mzuzu hence we are thankful for the donation,” explained Mhango.
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.
Malawi covid-19 patient escapes from isolation room
BLANTYRE-(MaraviPost)—In a movie like episode, a 27-year-old coronavirus patient escaped from isolation room at Karonga District Hospital on Saturday, beating the security systems.
Information sourced shows that the escapee then travelled to Mpata within the district before proceeding to his home of origin at Kachere near Chintheche in Nkhata Bay.
Besides exposing the security lapse at the facility, health workers have said the escape is worrisome because the patient may likely have used public transport when he travelled to Mpata then from Karonga through Mzuzu City to Nkhata Bay.
Eye witnesses in Nkhata Bay said the patient was in contact with many people who used the same public transport and that he visited drinking joints at Chintheche in Nkhata Bay.
Hospital authorities in Karonga and Nkhata Bay admitted on Tuesday they were in a dilemma regarding the tracing of the patient’s contacts.
In an interview with the Nation, Karonga District director of health and social services David Sibale lamented the security lapse, but stated that even while at the hospital, the person was getting calls from people from Mpata, some of whom allegedly threatened his life.
He said: “After escaping on Saturday, he went to Chilambiro, but when we followed up twice, and even on the second occasion when we went with police, the community was uncooperative. They lied to us that he had gone back to Tanzania. But now we have information that he is in Nkhata Bay which is his home of origin.”
Sibale said they are puzzled with the patient’s escaped from the isolation place because there is no sign that he broke doors or windows.
Nkhata Bay District Hospital spokesperson Christopher Singini confirmed that the young man is under their care, but at home, because “he has proved to be difficult”.
He said the man was spotted at a bar in Chintheche on Monday from where he was taken to his home village.
Kachila Youth Initiative donates sporting accessories to Karonga district hospital
By Lusekero Mhango
KARONGA-(MaraviPost)-As one way of reducing teenage pregnancies among teens in Karonga Kachila Youth Initiative (KYI) a local Non-Government Organization (NGO) on Friday donated sporting accessories to Karonga District Hospital.
The accessories which include Balls, Chess Boards and Playing Cards among others are valued at about MK500,000.
Speaking in an interview following the donation KYI Executive Director William Machona Ngwira, said they thought of donating to the hospital to support youth friendly services at the facility amid the low turnout of youths in teen clubs who are on Anti-Retro Therapy (ART).
He noted, due to failure by authorities to include youths in developmental programs among others has left youngsters with nothing to do except indulge in harmful behaviours hence the donation to the hospital’s teen clubs.
“The number of youths who are on ART and are defaulting on taking drugs is alarming in the district thus we thought of donating the sporting accessories in order to boost the numbers of youths who attend teen clubs at this facility,” he said.
Ngwira therefore hopes the donation and the construction of a recreation facility will go a long way in increasing the number of youths coming to seek assistance at the hospital through teen clubs.
In his remarks Director of Health and Social Services at Karonga District Hospital David Sibale, expressed gratitude to the organization for donating the assaulted items to the hospital saying the donation is timely considering the challenges that the hospital faces.
“As a hospital we are supposed to procure such items for the youths, but we are an able due to resource constraints hence we are thankful to KYI for assisting us with such items for our teens,” he articulated.
According to Statistics from the health authority’s HIV prevalence rate among young people in the district is about 50% and 29% out of all registered pregnancy cases is that of teenage pregnancies
Karonga Rotary Club responded to the cholera outbreak in the district of Karonga by donating different assorted items to the hospital.
The donation is part of the response to the district health officials call, according to the group Secretary General Maggie Kamchacha.
Among the donated items include Chlorine and examination gloves.
According to Kamchacha, money to buy the items are contributions from the group members.
“Karonga Rotary Club focus on health area that is why we didn’t hesitate to bail out the hospital with the equipment. We believe that cholera outbreak may be reduced in the district due to the donation,” said Kamchacha.
This is not the first time for the Club to come up with such kind of activities in the district as it recently donated blood after approached by the Malawi Blood Transfusion apart from planting trees at Ipyana Primary School in January this year.
Started in 2016 and being under the Mzuzu Rotary Club, Karonga Rotary Club consists of people from different professionals or business who shares ideals to improve their community.
Receiving the donation, Lindani Chirwa one of the officials from Karonga district hospital thanked the club for a quick response.
Chirwa then urged other organisations to emulate what Karonga Rotary Club did in order to save the lives of the community from cholera outbreak.
According to the district hospital report, the disease has killed two people and registered 24 cases since it started in November, 2017.
Eight people have lost their lives while nine others sustained injuries after being involved in road accident, which occurred on October 8, 2017 along the Karonga-Mzuzu M1 Road at HaraTrading Centre in Karonga district.
Karonga police deputy spokesperson George Mlewa, confirmed the incident to Maravi Post, and said the driver of the minibus, registration number CP 9379, failed to control the vehicle due to over-speeding.
“The minibus bus was coming from Mzuzu going to Karonga and driven in a very speed. And when it reached Hara Trading Centre, one of its tires burst; but due to over-speeding, the driver lost control (of the vehicle) and it overturned,” said Mlewa.
According to Mlewa, seventeen passengers boarded in the minibus, and five people died on the spot.
“Three of the passengers died on their way to the hospital. Out of the deceased, four were men while other four were women. Six passengers, including the driver, sustained minor injuries while the other three had serious injuries and are receiving medical treatment at Karonga District Hospital,” he added.
Among the eight who died, only four have been identified. These are: 49-year old Labson Silumbu from Chendo village Traditional Authority (TA) Mwaulambia in Chitipa, John Mdula, (40 years) from Chivundiko village TA Wasambo Sonia Tchongwe, (41 years) from Mwangamira village TA Wasambo both in Karonga district, and Enelesi Gama.
The driver of the minibus was 33-year old Mavuto Khonje, from Waberewa village in the area of TA Mtwalo in Mzimba district.
Postmortem of the deceased persons revealed that they died due to severe head and internal body injuries.
Meanwhile Police in the district is advising all road users to be responsible and to observe road signs and regulations to prevent accidents of a similar nature.
Malawi Culture of Corruption symptom Failing Hospitals and Mortuaries
Karonga district hospital can only keep dead bodies in the mortuary for only 24 hours before they start decomposing and becoming a health hazard to the staff and people in the surrounding areas officials have confided to the Maravi Post.
