Chakwera hits at Malawi govt for starving patients: ‘One meal a day in public hospitals’

August 22, 2015 Owen Khamula - Nyasa Times 93 Comments

Malawi Congress Party (MCP) president and leader of opposiiton Lazarus Chakwera has asked government to immediately stop holding patients in public hospitals as prisoners with the introduction of ‘one meal per day’ to the sick Malawians.

Chakwera : Patients are not prisoners
Chakwera : Patients are not prisoners

Speaking in Mangochi on Thursday during a campaign for local government polls, Chakwera said government should resume normal rations to patients, wondering why the government is failing to do so when parliament approved enough budget for the ministry of health.

“Patients are not prisoners. Patients need enough food in their bodies to deal with their ailments,” said Chakwera.

“ I have never seen a government that never respects the welfare of patients like this one[of Peter Mutharika],” said Chakwera.

Chakwera said the government has capacity to feed all patients , saying the administration needs to deal with rampant corruption in government which he said is. eating away public resources leaving vulnerable people helpless..

Ministry of Health spokesperson Adrian Chikumbe attributed the reduction of meals for patients in some hospitals to funding woes, saying Treasury is failing to support the health budget

“It is worth observing that when we submit our budgets to Treasury, it is based on need, but these budgets get trimmed based on projections of earnings. However, what is given in a month. This puts strain on centres to prioritise on spending,” said Chikumbe.

Malawi Equity Health Network (Mhen) executive director Martha Kwataine also lamented about the development, saying is a signal of “a very big crisis”

She said: “You cannot take medication on an empty stomach. It’s the same hospitals which tell people to eat first before taking drugs

“As a referral hospital, Bwaila admit very poor people from outside the city, and the sick people cannot work on their own to get food. At stake is not just the right for health, but also the right to life, these people can die,” said Kwataine.

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93 replies on “Chakwera hits at Malawi govt for starving patients: ‘One meal a day in public hospitals’”

  1. onse a DPP ndizitsilu palibe chanzelu chomwe achitapo chilichonse achisokoneza analli Malawi okongola ndiochititsa chidwi koma wasambuksngati chipalamba mzipatala mulibe mankwala, zithu kundula pamene ndalama yathu ndiyochepa phamvu kuposa ndalama zonse padziko lapansi , pano Amulungu wawafulatila salinso mbaliyao tionana 2019 mwadya mvomwevi mbunzi za athu akaligondo kapenakuti akapuku kuphanga.

  2. I stopped feeling sorry for these hewe povos who always chose wrongly. I wish the govt totally stopped giving them any food…..
    We told them to vote wisely, but they did not. Akagwere absolutely no sympathy from me.

  3. A petulo ndi DPP alibe chisomo cholamulila. Onse a DPP akudziwa kuti ankabera mavoti ndipo as such Ambuye Mulungu sali mbali YAWO ndipo anthu awa ngochititsa chifundo chifukwa dziko lei liwalemera heavy Samantha kulilamula chifukwa akulilamulila okhaokha Mulungu mulibemo ndiye petulo Ali malo oopysa chifukwa chobera mavoti.

  4. A wangonde, the issue is not kuti president ndi ndani. The issue at hand is “is it good that a patient must have one meal/day?” mukondeni apm’yo, but not to the extent of not feeling sorry when others are suffering. Let us accept that we are suffering more under this regime.

  5. When a wise man points at the moon, FO*OLS concentrate on the wiseman fingers. Fo*ols are concentrating on Chakwera’s fingers instead of the moon.

  6. When a wise man points at the moon, FOOLS concentrate on the wiseman fingers. Fools are concentrating on Chakwera’s fingers instead of the moon.

  8. Mr Chakwera, your Mangochi trip would have been fruitful to you and your party if you had spaired some time to visit Kamoto village and apologize to the villagers for what the MCP did to the people there.Chakwera you are n’dya nyemba while the people of Kamoto are the ntaya makoko.The people of Mangochi still remember the day when your party sent armed men to roundup and beat the villagers of Kamoto before sending the entire village to Dzaleka detention camp.Shame on MCP and its president

  9. that’s voting man.its all about numbers.let us work and and contribute better. we all opted for one leader and it only throu the one lord gave us (apm).let us all accept that we are just in bad days of the years of which am sure as life is, things slowly will be graduating to better. please just believe u satans.[bad beggining makes good ending] the saying goes so and it has always been true.

  10. 2 say the truth due 2 lack of food and education malawians r not intelligent thats why they chose wrongly

  11. Malawians lost it all during 2014 elections so wen some 1 tries 2 correct they feel ashamed…tieni nazo

  13. Going thru the comments even a foreigner can appreciate why MW is a poorest country. Do you mean to question the govt on hunger issue one should first buy maize flower donate it to pple then start criticizing? Do you really pay tax kkkkkk

  14. Some people like wangonde thinks gvt is doing well by stealing our hard earned kwachas, and when people like Chakwera try to point out such sick behavior they try to castigate him. no wonder at 50 malawi is still the poorest of the countries. People in Malawi like Wangonde stopped thinking. Is there any connection between Chakwera criticizing mr Ibu because of his cluelessness and nyau??? be mindifull, one day musadzyese mwalodzedwa boma litapita kwa anthu omwe mukuwatukwanawo.

  16. Chakwera be reminded that you are also obliged to assist where you see problems and not just blaming Malawi govt which you are part of, show that are president in waiting otherwise we are fed up with you.

  17. Useless chakwera,i thot you were to say kuti there are no drugs,if the patient was starving how many bags of ufa did you donate,,,?Tambala wakuba kokolikooooooo

  18. CHAKWELA USAYESE BOMA NGATI CHURH LIMENE UNALILEPHELA KULITUKULA AMANGOLIDYELA PA AREA 14 APO.ASAKUNAMIZE ANYAUWO NDANI SAKUKUZIWA. PRAY AND FIND MEANZ TO ADVISE NOT CASTIGATING . AUZENI ANTHU ZENIZENI ZOCHITA ESPECIALLY THAT WE HAVE TO WORK VERY HARD BE IT WORK, MAPHUNZILO, BUSINESS NDINSO ANTHU NGATI INUYO MUSIYE KUTUKWANA,KUBA MMENE MUBELA ASSEMBLESS CHURCH. ZOLAMULA BOMA INU NDITHU MUIWALE APO AYI MULU AZANDUKE WANKAZI. ASAKUPUSISE ANYAWUWO.

  19. That’s why coffins business is a lucrative business in Malawi.There are coffin workshop around Kamuzu hospital waiting for some starved patients.300 million kwacha was blown for some useless celebrations when then were eating some expensive meals washing it down with expensive wine.That’s how cheap politics works in Malawi.y

  21. Typical of Malawians always complaining but no action. We were raped by the electoral commission in the daylight n now by the government n all we can do is sit in our fancy houses with our smart phones n stupid heads complain. Am talking about all of us. Poor Malawi

  22. Its not a matter of taxes not being enough nor is the question of budget. It is a question of misguided priorities.

    Malawi needs the Julius Malemas. Otherwise we are all cowards.

  23. Inu DPP tamuyankheni Chakwera osauma mate mkamwa. truth pains . Even if I were the president today at least I cannot fail feeding patients. Failure of failures.

  25. iwe amene wapanga coment no 2 pogwiritsa dzina la mwini wake. Mulungu akukhululukire koma ngati angafune kukukantha akukanthe.

  27. Koma peter you are stupid idiot tikanene kuti peter wangokula mutu zelu alive galu ameneyu idiot fool

  28. Its very unfortunately that we are being treated like this. Even the cows are eating better in the village coz we open for them at 7 and close them at 6. But we are humans. For Christ sake can’t we be treated like ones? May jah heal our wounds. Coz i believe that we will not die in this wilderness we are just passing by. And by his grace we will breath again. Amen……..

  30. Amalawi u r all very stupid,u r just talking here as if atakupasani mpando mungasithe zithu! Inu mungatenge professor kumuyika pa mpando?? Olo Ku America sangapange zimenezo.xool can not feed this country.we need logic Ideas and rational strategys.olo president takhala ine sizingayenda.Peter is gud but he has a bad cabinet full of thugs hahahah kaliyati anagakhale minister??

  35. Malawians didn’t vote for this government, that’s why we’re suffering now. Professor of evil must resign now before it’s too late.

  38. While patients are being starved our Minister says Malawians will clap hands next year! what irony?

  39. I have said this multiple times and I’m saying again, this president has failed to run the country, period! I know there are pockets of dpp bootlickers who pretend not to operate from my angle but deep down their hearts they know that mutharika is a mistake to Malawi. A harsh reality is better than a false hope and the reality is that the president is a complete failure. Malawi does not need someone to experiment but someone to hit the ground running and turn around the economy. This is the same peter mutharika who promised heaven on earth but today he has no clue as to what button to press. It’s a pity poor patients are starving but the president faces the the other side and people are promised that they will clap hands for the government next year, this means taxpayers will be paying mutharika for 2 years for nothing! The fact that most Malawians are not ambitious people and are satisfied with mediocrity and small glories allows peter to challenge the whole country that he will win the elections again in 2019 even if he does not deliver. All our neighbouring countries have since prospered but Malawi’s dreams of prosperity still suffers a still birth and this can be attributed to the criteria we use to elect leaders. Malawians confuses foolishness with discipline that is why even today in mzuzu where dpp killed 20 innocent people still someone there dreams of casting their votes for these idiots and peter has never apologised to the people of the north for what his brother and dpp did. Chakwera would make a meaningful leader cos he is. G

  42. I for sure know that even MCP were to rule Malawi today, there is nothing this pastor and that divorcee are going to change. We were all when PP took over from DPP . What can we point at that this party brought we are even worse .

  43. Nde Malawi walero ameneyo wa anthu, ma MP, ma Minister and president osamvera anthu ake chisoni koma ongoona mimba yake, za abale ake ndi anthu akwao. Anthu omweo anawavotera lero muti afe ndi matenda ndi njala n 2018/19 muzikawanamizanso kuti azakuvotereniso. Mulibe umunthu n Mulungu akukuonani, muzayankha pa siku lomaliza pamaso pa Ambuye NDITHU DIKIRANI

  44. Patients at Kamuzu Central Hospital are living like animals.All the funds are being thrown into the pockets of very few people meant for running the hospital.No food coupled by lack of medicines,how do u expect a patient to survive in these conditions?.Dpp should simply admit that they have failed Malawians in all sectors.Patients are better off looked at home than in these useless hospitals.Govt hospitals are killing camps in Malawi.

  45. I said it. It’s high time peter admitted he is a failure, a clueless leader. Step down and let other people take the helm l. You are holding the country hostage. You are busy partying instead of using that money for essential services. And the K92b or K577b can be used for this. A Malawi kwacha dzukani. This stupid government must go. We are fed up. PETER GO GO GO GO .WE DON’T WANT YOU. Enough is enough.

  46. Passing budget is one thing while having enough revenue to implement all activities in the budget is another!!!!!!!!

  47. Mr correction, you must be very stupid. Do you make a difference between a proposed budget and a budget!!? The august house passed budget and not a dummy budget. So, dont take chakwera as ignorant person. Saying yes to facts is not bad. Things in malawi with this pitala are becoming worse every second!

  48. Koma mathanyula anazungulila dziko lonse ndikuwauza anthu kuti akamuvotela akonza zinthu ,lelo chaka ndi miyezi ingapo zatha ali m’boma komano m’malo molongosola zinthu zikuipila ipilabe. Ndipo zomwe zikuchitika sizinachitikeponso mu mbili ya Malawi. Mwina tikanasankha munthu oti akhoza kunvetetsa malawi osati ntchona wa mapwevupwevu ndi anzake

  49. A government that spends money on merry making. Millions through useless independence Celebrations and building recreation halls at State Residences.

  50. This is the worst government of all the four, Bola a chair chioatala chimakhala nd I chakudya sizokjazo AI, zipatala zina panopa zikutjamangitsa odwala eti kusowa chakudya, madzi, magetsi, akuchita kimapemphetsa chakudya ngati palibe boma. Koma pitala?

  53. DPP ndi boma la nkhanza. Ma patient azidya kamodzi koma akufuna ma prsioners azipita ku ma prison ndi mabanja awo. APM walephera, atule pansi udindo.

  57. This DPP govt is aware about that issue but becouse reckless of president that is why the president said we have drugs in medical stores hence we cant access it why cant the govt distribute it? that is why they fail to feed the patients

  58. Why cant they do mapwevupwevu to fundraise for funding deficit in hospitals? Its bcoz those dinner dances are just a gimmick, a good percentage of the money is never realised at those functions.

  59. This government has failed completely how do you expect patients to take drugs with empty stomach?very shameful government.

  60. My opinion on this issue is that if indeed enough money was approved in parliament to cater for medication and food in our hospitals then we need to understand where that money has gone and who is responsible for this mess.

    Its about time Malawians start taking the law in their own hands, becoz for far too long politicians from all parties have been taking Malawians for a ride with impunity without the slightest fear of facing any consequences.

  61. U r talking sense Chakwela,I think it’s high time Malawians start demonstrating anger if we stay quite I don’t know what will happen

  62. well said Mr Chakwera! but one observation sir you are good at criticising others without offering a solution, can you please suggest to the government what action they should take to deal with this issue.

  63. Odwala samadya kwambiri. One meal per day is enough, coz amangogona pa bed, phee akuzimvetserera kupweteka uchimo mthupi. Moreover majority of these ppo are HIV +. So kip them 4 along tym in hosptals is a waste of resources. Mphoto ya uchimo ndi imfa! They cant die due to njala koma matenda! Jst start fasting in hosptals, otherwise kiyama ikupezama!

  65. Laza why cant you provide the other meals. You can gain credit here. Why talkative like Jessie. Like brothers like sisters, Tinapumatu masiku atatu apitawa. Wait for parliament where you are heard audibly. Do you want to join the group of snakes as if you are not pastor?

  66. There will always be funds for state banquets. Why not cancel such events like foreign trips are done and save the funds for the cause of patients in hospitals. We as a nation don’t want to hear of state this state that any more because it drains public funds that can be used for a good cause ( development, drugs and now food for patients ).

  67. Boma lopanda chisoni ili. After all zipatala sizaulele coz timalipira mwachisinsi through our taxes.

  68. kkk a Chakwera, mukanakhala inummene znthu zizlili mziko muno mukanatha kuyendesa bomali unu?? there is a change in demography baba Chakwera, anthu tikuberekana ngat nchenga, zipatala zkumazaza, nde mumat boma lipange bwanji?? half bread is better than non. Lithandizen bomali kunena zot tisamaberekane kwambiri, osamangoti bwa bwa bwa. muzaziona. Hope mutalowa m’boma inu simuzatha kuyendesa mpangono pomwe. Ndalama muzikazitenga kut azungu atakunyanyalani. Kod anapangisa kut azungu atinyanyale ndi Peter Muntharika?? This is the time when Economics works. Mulibedi experience a Chakwera ndi achina Kabwira anuo. Mumayesa kut kuyendesa boma ndi zibwana et??

  69. Treasury is busy sponsoring Mapwevupwevu. Bravo Dr Chakwera for hitting at this so called government. Atsamundawa atitopetsa.

  70. It is the guardians who are complaining. The Government hospitals provide meals to patients but we see guardians also wanting to receive patient food as if they are also patients. guardians should bring their own food. Guys wake up! Free hospital bed, free drugs, free food to patients, free transport to and from hospital referral, zoona free meals to guardians too? Ndalamazake ziti abaale. CHAM hospitals don’t provide free meals but people don’t cry. Kulitola boma eti? People should now start being responsible. Have two to three children. Women stay at school longer up to tertially level before ma ukwati a masewera mukumachitawa expecting boma to give you free things! Osakwatiwa ndi mwamuna opanda chochita muzazunzika

  71. Tiye nawo my President to be in 4yrs to come! Koma kodi uyu anawina bwanji inu uyu mukuti Petuloyu? Sinditha kumvets ampakana pano! Mbuli zolamulira izi! But don’t worry u will lead us come 2019. Kaya afune or asafune! Petulo let me tell you wanditopetsa akanakhala mkazi bwenzi banja likanatha kalekale! I know kuti when ana awo or who so ever is related to these good for nothing ruling idiots fall sick amapita kuchipatala za kunja bcoz they have capacity kuyiwara amane anawavotera.

  72. Only an insane person of the highest order can say we have a listening government. A normal person can not steal votes just to victimise the citizenry. God will deal with you.

  75. Chakwera ngwabodza.Akanakhala iyeyo akanatani?Inu ,,,,,,,,,munthu wanzeru amapereka ma solutions to issues.osati azitiuza zakuba ndalama iyenso ali mbala kawawa.with the little resources that the govt has,,,titani iwe Lazurus.aaaaaa

  77. Malawi needs national contribution towards health services and schools.lets go back to kamuzu system of contributing towards government services,that will by all means help massively and it will trigger the desire of wanting to be self sufficient(every little help)

  78. Boma lachePitala ilo -upreisdent wa masiku ano ndikuba basi no kukhala ndi adzilima ngati mmene amapangira mkuluwake

  79. Lets help the government by giving them solutions to the problems.
    For this issue of ‘one meal a day’ in hospitals, I would suggest the govt to start piloting in a few hospitals by allowing reputable catering companies to bid for a contract supplying nutritious food to our hospitals. For those of us who have travelled, have seen how its done especially in UK. In that way Tha company will be responsible. However, for this system to work, alot of work needs to be done. Its possible. The contracts to be renewed based on performance. Its just too much for the govt handling everything. Hope Dr Kumpalume will help knowing how the NHS system works. He s come at the right time.

  82. Please Lazaro. ..just feed them if u can. You will win the votes. Otherwise pipo’s taxes are not enough to feed them freely as u wish.

  83. we said it…these people are maffias..they don’t mind about peoples lives.mtchona angadziwe mavuto omwe anthu akumana nawo pa mudzi.
    A malawi kusamva

  85. PRESIDENT KOMA CHAKWERA. ACHAKWERA MUMANDIDALITSA NDI MFUNDO ZANU ZOGWIRA MTIMA OSATI ZINAZI NDIPO KUCHIPATALA ANTHU ODWALA AKUVUTIKA MANKHWALA SAGWIRA BWINO TCHITO MTHUPI MULIBE CHAKUDYA IWE PITALA ULI BUZY KUKHUTITSA MIMBA YAKO NDI KAMUNTHU KOKHALA NGATI PUSIKO( GETRUDE) AMALAWI ANZANU AKUFA NDI NJALA MZIPATALA ZA BOMA ZAUCHITSIRU MUNTHU UKALEPHERA KULAMULIRA BOMA NDI BWINO KUVOMEREZA CHIFUKWA ANTHU AMAKUPATSA ULEMU OSATI KUUMILIRA ZINTHU ZOTI SUKWANITSA MWALAWAKO MPANDO WA UPRESIDENT BASI CHITANI SURRENDER ANTHU AKUPATSANI ULEMU KUSIYANA NDI KUZUNZA AMALAWI OSALAKWA. ACHAKWERA MTIMA MMALO BOMA IRI MULAMULIRA POSACHEDWAPA ANZANU ZAWAVUTA KOMA AKULEPHERA KUVOMEREZA.

  86. Khokhokhokho well said Chakwera. APM and his Govt have no respect for Malawians thats why it matters less to them if people are suffering. On the other hand Malawians should blame themselves for voting APM into Govt.

  87. My president Mr. Chakwera, be cautioned that both prisoners and patients are citizens of this country and non of them deserve inhuman treatment. It is the duty of the government to take care of both prisoners and the patients. You made a careless statement to say patients are not prisoners as if prisoners are the ones who deserve inhuman treatment. Ndangoti tiwunikilanepo pamepa. Dzikomo ku mpando.

  88. Mesa mumati tikufuna ma professor basi,ndi amenewo ndiye.
    Iyeyo ali pheee! Try to ask him “when dd u get sick? He won’t answer the question.
    If he gets sick today,he will be taken to South Africa so quickly.
    While a South African president dies in his country.
    Kamuzu,like Mandela,dd everything possiblefor us and it jst nid a prudent person to continue from there. Bt all what is happening, is ingratitude.
    Muluzi took the gvt from Banda,where things were normal.
    After his term so many bad things took place up to the extent of leaving the country in the hands of the Mtharika family, stupid!!

  89. Budget is not money Mr Chakwera. You can budget for K100 koma nkupeza K50 nde muziti ndigula zinthu za K100?

    1. How come, IF we have no money, we are able to afford maphwando? Use your head to think. That’s why you were given one.

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