DPP demands beds returned to Mponela: ‘Don’t drag Muthalika in the saga’
The opposition Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) says its acting president Peter Mutharika should not be dragged in the Mponela Hospital beds saga and has demanded Minister of Health Khumbo Kachali, who is also the country’s Vice-President, to return back the hospital beds from the facility where they were snatched to be given to Mzimba for political campaign purposes.
In a statement issued by DPP spokesman Nicholous Dausi, the party downplayed reports that Mutharika early this year ordered the transfer of 100 beds from Kamuzu Central Hospital to Chisoka Health center in Mutharika’s constituency.
DPP said it is “surprised” that the story is being brought now. The party believes its “propaganda” which is calculated “to divert people’s attention from the archaic and inhumane Mponela Hospital saga.”
Ministry of Health officials told Nyasa Times that Mutharika’s order led to the paediatric department and wards 3B and many holding rooms to be deprived of beds which has not been returned to the Central Region biggest referral hospital.
But DPP defended Mutharika, saying despite wielding influence in the previous regime, he “has never worked as a Health minister and mentioning him in this case does not make any sense at all.”
The party has challenged Ministry of Health officials “to come out clean with evidence and make their names known than remaining anonymous on this very important issue.”
“We thought those mentioned to have been directly involved in the Mponela saga (where beds were removed at night and in the process subjecting the admitted children to untold suffering) would not waste their time creating and spreading cheap political propaganda but would by today have returned the said beds from Mzimba back to Mponela hospital,” reads the statement.
The DPP is also calling on the PP Government to return the beds to Mponela hospital “unconditionally.”
But Ministry of Health said it will not return the beds.
