JB calls on Mutharika, Chilima and Chakwera to unite over Malawi health crisis

Immediate past president Joyce Banda has called upon President Peter Mutharika, Vice-president Saulos Chilima and opposition leader Lazarus Chakwera to bury their political hatchets and come together to deal with public health crisis.

Banda:  Disaster in public hospitals

Banda, who leads the People’s Party (PP). Said her heart bleeds with reports of poor drug supply to public hospitals and that patients as well as health workers as at risk with intermittent power and water supply.

“It is unacceptable and critical operations are being postponed in our hospitals. It is unacceptable that women should fail to bath after giving birth,” said Banda who championed safe motherhood when she was Head of State between 2012 and 2014.

Banda said Chilima who is now leader of United Transformation Movement (UTM) and Chakwera the president of Malawi Congress Party (MCP) should “rise above politics” to  work together with Mutharika’s administration to help mitigate against the health problem.

She shared a s story about a family losing children at a government hospital due to lack of facilities and to make matters worse the hospital has been unable to transport the bodies from Mzuzu hospital to the families’ home village in Chitipa.

The former president said immediately she heard of this problem at hospital that the remains of the deceased kids have been at hospital for more than a week due to hospital not having transport she disclosed that she phoned State House to find out if President Mutharika is aware of “disaster” in public health and if there is something he can do, also communicated to Chakwera and informed Chilima of the same.

Banda said she is “greatly aggrieved” and concerned about the situation in public hospitals and the lack of power, water in hospitals which combined with lack of transport is leading to premature deaths of many mothers and children.

She gave an example of Mwanza hospital which has stopped admissions due to lack of facilities.

Banda stressed on the need for leaders to talk to each other to address national crisis.

Chakwera told Times Radio that  MCP told government that there was need to increase Other Recurrent Transactions (ORT) allocation to public hospitals but the Minister of Finance Goodall Gondwe said ‘no’.

“We are ready to help but what can we do when the public budget is with the Executive?” he said.

A commentator on social media, Mzondi Lungu said Banda is demonstrating the signs of matured and unifying leadership Malawians want to see.

“We are tired of hearing insults, making false and criminal accusations against one another but we want to see leaders talking to each other in the best interests of their people,” UK-based Lungu wrote on his Facebook page.

“Unity starts with leaders and if they are making such steps people will slowly understands that though they may belong to different political parties talking to others of different groups when it comes to important matters affecting others.

“We have seen in developed countries where leaders from different political parties can talk and share a cup of tea, have a laugh or express a common concern despite having political differences and this is something people in Malawi need to be seeing as at the end of the day they all intend to serve Malawians.  A problem shared is half a problem solved, I just hope these concerns former president Dr Joyce Banda has raised will be taken seriously as lives are at stake in hospitals due to persistent black outs and water crisis,” he wrote.

But government and ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) spokesman Nicholous Dausi was sceptical with Banda’s call, saying it is “cynical.”

Dausi said Banda wants to portray the DPP administration as a failure.

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Ndangodutsamo
Ndangodutsamo
5 years ago

Funny thing is the Minister of Health is a presidential aspirant.

mediaz
mediaz
5 years ago

Useless lady ,where is the money you sold our aeroplane?Dpp can’t do this now time is over Ali busy kuba ndalama iwo zipatala zawo zili Ku america but our God is watching,,,,

CHIPASUPASU
CHIPASUPASU
5 years ago

JB is engaging in political buffoonery marketing herself as a broadminded leadership yet she failed to appreciate the unique talents endowed in Khumbo Kachale when the choice for a PP running mate in 2014 she lacked balanced judgment she joined the populist bandwagon of Ung’onoung’ono she fell for Sosten GWENGWE she never rewarded loyalty and his tenacity during the Bingu misrule. Moreover calling APM at the State House won’t bring for JB Peter hates JB period

Nzika ya Malawi
Nzika ya Malawi
5 years ago

Unfortunately this so called president does not liisten to any advice outside DPP as the beasts of prey the likes of the Dausis are at work misleading him. Samva mkunkhu weniweni ndiye anthu atopa amangoyang’ana.

Chilungamo
Chilungamo
5 years ago

The BIGGEST problem with all matchonas, They are “Messrs know IT ALL “. So adamant & grandiose. Goodall actually believes, nobody has done economics in Malawi other than him.
It’s really pitiful for sector heads or controlling officers in government these days. Alibe pogwira ndithu.
DPP’s only priority is (FAKE) road construction and for obvious reasons- huge loophole for GRAND THIEVERY/ LOOTING.Then later FOOL gullible Malawians to vote for them. This is the worst government post-multiparty democracy, no doubt about it.
SHAME!!!

Wawa
Wawa
5 years ago

Very good observation by JB. Our Health system leaves a lot to be desired. The whole system is a total mess. It’s just pathetic. A lot needs to be done to fix this. I however feel JB is not the rt Pearson to talk about this ( For she is just playing politics). When did she realize our Health system needs a great deal of attention by political heavy weights? This Woman had an opportunity to fix this mess in her two year rule. But instead she deliberately chose to pay a blind eye to the problem. All that mattered… Read more »

Chokazinga
Chokazinga
5 years ago

Until now I don’t see what Chilima is fighting while he is in Government – he is chasing power in the corridors of poverty and misinformed society – poor Malawi. He needs to act as our duly elected VP. Well, as for Chakwera we know he is in the opposition – all he can do is recommend to Government what to do. But if Government does not finance such recommendations then we are in for a different story.

Mike Tembwe
Mike Tembwe
5 years ago

JB should not talk as if these problems are there during DPP resume only. She is talking as if these things are new yet they were there during her time. Let’s face it, unity is important. But JB here is just playing politics. She wants to be noticed. She wants people to feel her presence so that they should change their perception about her and PP. I doubt if this strategy will work because no single Malawian has forgotten about cashgate . Her competitors game aliponya patali and it’s hard for her kuti amake. I keep on saying that, she… Read more »

Luthando
5 years ago
Reply to  Mike Tembwe

Sorry Mike, it seems you are missing the point here. its all about uniting for the common good of our country, this is no politics this has everything to do with our political leaders leaving politics aside and exchange ideas on how to end the actual crisis on the ground.

Duli
Duli
5 years ago
Reply to  Luthando

Did she units with Khumbo Kachale and the then leader of opposition and leader of opposition party APM then to address these very problems? No. Instead she united with Mphwiyo, Kasambava, Lootepo, etc cleaning up state coffers via cashgate. She should simply return the loot and shut up.

CitizenX
CitizenX
5 years ago
Reply to  Luthando

its politics man, what did she do about hospital problems when she was in govt?????

Agenda Setting Theory
Agenda Setting Theory
5 years ago
Reply to  Mike Tembwe

Do you know long was JB in office. I don’t support her party, but if you and your government have evidence against her why is she not being arrested after Nankhumwa told the nation that he had submitted CCTV evidence to ACB about her receiving bags of money. Four years down the line you still can’t arrest her.

Duli
Duli
5 years ago
Reply to  Mike Tembwe

Even if this stupid woman was made Minister of health today, akangobako.

Angoni
Angoni
5 years ago

If JB didn’t Cashgate public funds we may have a different story. Yes there is a health crisis but you are a thief as well

Agenda Setting Theory
Agenda Setting Theory
5 years ago
Reply to  Angoni

Where is your evidence, even ACB has not brought any about her despite your noise.

mtete
mtete
5 years ago

There is a saying which goes: PADZENJE PAKALOWA MBEWA UMATI “NDIKUMBA NDEKHA”. KOMA PAKALOWA NJOKA UMATI “THANDZENI”. The lady knows the future is bleak and is trying hard to make her presence felt. The cooperation proposed should start after May 2019. In fact her worries will be over then because Chakwera and Chilima have the welfare of Malawians at heart, not the current crop.

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