Malawi leader starts official visit in Scotland: Mutharika tours University of Glasgow, College of Physicians and Surgeons
University of Glasgow in Scotland has pledged to continue training Malawians in the medical field and aiding research works in health care delivery for scientific discovery.
The University authorities made the pledge Monday during the visit to the institution by Malawi’s President, Prof. Peter Mutharika.
The President was accompanied by the First Lady Prof. Gertrude Mutharika, is on official visit to Scotland after attending the 2018 Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in London.
“We would want to continue working together with College of Medicine to deal with Diabetes, High Blood Pressure (BP) and Pneumonia, non-communicable diseases that are still a problem in Malawi,” a professor of Medicine at the College, Lain Mclnnes said.
Besides working to fight non-communicable diseases, the University will establish a research centre for health care delivery at the College of Medicine in Malawi.
The College Authorities took Mutharika round to what looked like mini stands in a room for him to view and read through several historical facts about the Scottish and their works in Malawi.
Among them was a picture of Mandala House which still stands today as the oldest house in Blantyre, Map of Mandala Estate in Blantyre/Chiradzulu and a brief history of John and Fredrick Moir, and their African Lakes Corporation among other aspects.
Mutharika appeared amused to see the pictures of Mandala House and other historical facts about Malawi and Scotland which symbolise close relationship between the two countries.
He hailed the country’s assistance to Malawi in the health area and asked the university to continue doing the same.
“We are in the process of unbundling the University of Malawi so that each college operates as a fully-fledged university, including the College of Medicine. We would like you to assist us in that area, especially that we want to open a dental school,” Mutharika remarked.
Earlier, Mutharika visited the historical Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons where Missionary David Livingstone got his first degree in 1840.
The College has trained several Malawians including Malawi’s first President, Ngwazi Dr. Hastings Kamuzu Banda.
Prof. Mutharika asked authorities of the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons to assist his Malawi in cancer treatment, saying currently patients are sent to India and South Africa for treatment which is costing a lot of money.
Listening to speeches from University Authorities of both colleges Mutharika visited, it was clear most of them had worked in Malawi and spoke with fond memories about the country.
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In light of limited resources Malawi has in its coffers, politicians need to be exemplary in the way they spend our hard earned cash. The government has spent millions of Kwachas with no cash returns to show. What has President achieved which he couldn’t have achieved from his comfortable state house. He would probably have gotten better returns if he had paid a visist to South Frica, Nigeria or Rwanda. We need to be smart with our money