JB receives K5m vehicle donation for Safe Motherhood Initiative: From Scottish Ann Gloag
President Joyce Banda on Friday received a donation of 4X4 Toyota from Ann Gloag, a Scottish entrepreneur, whom the President described as a “best friend”, which has been handed over to Presidential Initiative of Safe Motherhood and Maternal Health.
The President handed over the vehicle to Senior Chief Kwataine, Chairperson of the Presidential Initiative on Safe Motherhood and Maternal Health.
Speaking during the ceremony, held at Kamuzu Palace in Lilongwe, President Banda said she was “really excited” to receive the donation on behalf of the Initiative and that the vehicle will reduce transport problems that the Chief’s committee on the Initiative faces when members want to go around sensitizing communities on the need to ensure safe motherhood.
The Head of State said she had met Dr. Ann Gloag in Scotland in February and that one of the issues they discussed was how the Scot could assist in the fight against maternal mortality in Malawi.
“It is pleasing that are able to see the fruits of our meeting in Scotland; we will need more cars and we need to persuade the private sector to help us in this fight,” she said and hailed Senior Chief Kwataine “for working extra hard” in advancing “best practices” to ensure safe motherhood and reduced rates of maternal mortality.
She reiterated that hold a “special place in communities” and that they are therefore an effective vehicle for progress in this area, including the eradication of harmful cultural practices and no woman suffers in form of domestic violence.
“Indeed, no woman should die giving birth,” said President Banda.
Margaret Moyo, Coordinator of Freedom from Fistula Foundation (FfFF), which is also funded by Dr. Ann Gloag, presented the car keys to President Banda.
Moyo said they hope that the vehicle will go a long way in reducing maternal and neonatal deaths and other “tragedies such as Fistula”.
She said the donation was a direct support to the President’s Initiative on Safe Motherhood, adding information dissemination in terms of personal contact and physical presence is essential “and this in itself requires mobility”.
“Dr. Ann Gloag is supporting Fistula Care Centre at Bwaila Maternity Hospital officially launched last year by Your Excellency, which is the only dedicated centre to repair patients with Obstetric Fistula. She is also supporting 70 community midwives, one community maternity waiting home, one consultant for Bwaila Maternity Hospital and Staff in the Safe Motherhood Initiative office,” said Moyo.
Senior Chief Kwataine and the Deputy Coordinator for the Presidential Initiative, Sharon Bisika also thanked Dr. Gloag for the donation and the President for her visionary leadership and passion in the fight against maternal and neonatal deaths.
