BLANTYRE-(MaraviPost)-National Bank of Malawi (NBM) Plc has handed over a chemistry analyzer to Queen Elizabeth Central Hospital (QECH), to help in the early detection of cancer in children.  

The Bank promised to buy the machine worth K91 million in October this year after being approached by World Child Cancer, a leading international children’s charity dedicated to addressing the global inequality in childhood cancer care.

Speaking when he handed over the high-tech equipment at QECH on Tuesday, NBM Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Macfussy Kawawa said the Bank committed to the cause since the health sector is one of the key pillars within the bank’s corporate social investment policy.

“We believe that contributing to the health sector helps grow a healthy populace that will turn out to be the very customers that we need to make the Bank thrive. There are a lot of areas and initiatives that require help, but the government alone can’t do it. This is why as a good corporate citizen, we see it as our duty to do the best we can to make the necessary corporate social investments in the health sector,” said Kawawa

Receiving the equipment on behalf of QECH, Controller of Hospital Administrative Support Services at Kamuzu Central Hospital (KCH), Sipho Nyasulu thanked National Bank plc for the donation.

“QECH has a shortage of equipment in all areas, especially diagnostic areas like laboratory, radiology, and even in theatre. We are very thankful to the National Bank of Malawi for this donation of a chemistry analyzer which will help a lot in the diagnosis of cancers in children,” said Nyasulu.

Earlier this year, the Bank also donated theatre equipment to the Malawi Defense Force (MDF) worth K132 million.

By Mc Donald Chapalapata, Contributor

National Bank of Malawi (NBM) plc Chief Executive Officer Macfussy Kawawa on Thursday evening, June 18, 2020 paid a surprise visit to Mulanje Service Centre where he awarded all staff members with various gifts for an excellent internal audit score.

Kawawa said he was impressed with the audit score of 82% in 2019 from 59% the previous year.

“This is to convey my personal congratulations on your outstanding performance in the 2019 Audit results. Your achievement is exceptional and deserves special recognition and of course, celebration as no Service Centre has attained ‘Excellent’ score in many years.”

“I am very appreciative of your commitment to the Bank and encourage you to use this attainment as a stepping stone towards achievement of even greater things as individuals and as a team.

“As NBM Plc family, we are truly proud of you and wish you well in your work. Your diligence, self-motivation and dedication will surely be a source of inspiration to the greater NBM Plc team,” Kawawa told the ululating team.

Mulanje Service Centre Manager Chifundo Kamwinda was elated with the achievement explaining that team work was key.

“The audit results were so energizing, motivating and so encouraging and everyone at Mulanje Service Centre is proud and this has left a positive feeling to all of us. We have intensive (every two weeks) sectional meetings to check on each other on how the sections are doing. All challenges and knowledge gaps are identified through these team leaders’ meetings and we all undertake to solve all challenges irrespective of positions or who was responsible for the unit.”

“We are geared to explore new measures that will enhance smooth running of the service centre. Most of all, we will continue making our people the centre of everything by providing a conducive working environment and imparting knowledge and confidence in all as well as ensuring high levels of staff motivation,” said Kamwinda. 

NBM plc Head of Internal Audit Dan Jere said the status of control environment in the Service centre was assessed to have significantly improved from the date of the previous audit in 2018 as reflected in the overall rating that has improved from ‘satisfactory’ results of key performance indicators and risk management to ‘excellent’ results of key performance indicators and risk management.

“The improvement in the score and overall audit rating is mainly because of resolution of previously reported audit issues and significant reduction in the number of reportable control exceptions from 21 in the previous audit in 2018 to only 5 in the current audit,” said Jere.