Carlsberg donates K249m worth of medical supplies to Malawi: Boosts JB’s safemotherhood initiative
Carlsberg Malawi on Thursday donated three 40×3-foot containers of medical and biomedical equipment worth MK249m to Malawi Government at a function held at the New State House in Lilongwe.
The donation will go to Kamuzu Central Hospital in Lilongwe and includes items such as crutches,baby scales,walking aides,gloves, hospital beds,anethesia machines,ultrashound units,IV sets,sutures,surgical drapes and other essential items that are used in hospitals.
President Joyce Banda thanked Carlsberg Malawi, Coca-cola and Medshare for the donation and assured the firms that the equipment will be put to very good use at KCH.
“This is a relevant donation to Malawi in that every one of these items is used daily in our hospitals,” said President Banda.
“Our mothers needing surgery will benefit from these items including pregnant women in need of operation to deliver their babies,” she said, adding “we will now happily take women with prolonged labour to theatre knowing that all the essential supplies we need are there.”
Banda appealed to other firms to emulate the gesture by Carlsberg saying that to improve health services and reduce the maternal mortality rate in Malawi it is essential that the private sector works with the public sector.
The President said no donation is too small as the need for hospital equipment is very urgent in hospitals across Malawi.
“ I will not allow women and children to die unnecessarily and I am committed to improving health services for all Malawians.”
Deputy Minister of Health, Halima Daudi commended Carlsberg Malawi for making the timely donation saying that Kamuzu Central Hospital is one of the hospitals in Malawi that is in need of hospital equipment.
She commended Carlsberg Malawi for engaging staff at the hospitals in identifying the equipment.
“ This donation will make a very big difference to Kamuzu Central Hospital because all of this equipment was carefully selected by the staff at the hospital, I want to assure you that it will go a long way in improving health services at KCH,” she said.
Presenting the donation Central Africa Coca-cola Franchise General Manager Maserame Mouyeme, said her company which works in partnership with Carlsberg and Southern Bottlers in Malawi had made the donation as one way of making their business operations meaningful in the country.
Carlsberg Malawi is bringing 3 containers into Malawi. The first one, for donation to Kamuzu Central Hospital (for donation tomorrow) is valued at $280 000.
The second, which has just arrived in Malawi is for Queen Elizabeth Central Hospital with equipment valued at $310 000 and the third, coming later this month is will be donated to Mzuzu Central Hospital.The total donation is worth $830,000.
These containers were sourced from MedShare, ranked as one of the top charities in the United States. This charity has been in operation for over 14 years and has shipped over 800 ocean containers of aid to 93 countries.
Carlsberg Malawi has worked directly with the beneficiary hospitals to ensure that key staff select the exact medical supplies needed, straight from MedShare’s inventory.
