Khalsa Aid, Sikh Association of Malawi boost Blantyre DHO with K15.5m Covid-19 response supplies
The United Kingdom-based Khalsa Aid International has donated medical supplies to Blantyre District Health Office (DHO) to boost the response of public health facilities to one of the world’s deadliest pandemics.
The organization made the donation in partnership with the Sikh Association of Malawi (SAM), which recently donated to the Queen Elizabeth Central Hospital (QECH) in Blantyre and Bwaila Hospital in Lilongwe.
These donations are part of the Covid-19 response initiatives the two organizations have undertaken to complement efforts by the Malawi Government to combat the disease that has brought down lives and businesses across the globe.
In the latest gesture, Khalsa Aid International and SAM donated 2, 500 facemasks, 40 thermometers, 2, 500 face shields, chlorine, sprayers and reusable masks. The items were valued at US$20, 000 (approximately K15.5 million).
Speaking with Nyasa Times after handing over the supplies, SAM trustee Manwinder Singh Bobby, said as charity organizations, they felt it is their duty to support Malawi’s battle against Covid-19.
“We, as residents of Blantyre, have seen how the pandemic has shaken the whole world, including Malawi. So, we thought it wise to engage partners such as Khalsa Aid in raising resources for this initiative,” he said.
Bobby assured that their organizations will continue mobilizing resources towards fighting the pandemic.
Blantyre DHO Medical Officer Dr. Mirriam Jere-Nyasulu expressed gratitude for the assistance, emphasizing it had come at the right time when public health facilities are working to intensify their response to the disease.
However, Jere-Nyasulu said more assistance is needed to seal up gaps in the public health delivery systems.
