Malawi MP’s block cancer centre relocation: Approves K5.3bn loan bill
Malawi Parliament Tuesday allowed Government to borrow from the Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries (Opec) Fund for International Development $13.1 million (about K5.3 billion) for purposes of constructing the National Cancer Centre in Lilongwe.
Minister of Finance and Economic Planning and Development, Goodall Gondwe told the House that would be constructed next to College of Medicine in Blantyre, not Kamuzu Central Hospital (KCH), claiming that the ‘principles’ of the loanfelt the centre be constructed adjacent to a medical school.
But this did not go down well most members including the chairperson of the Parliamentary Committee on Health (PCH), Julian Lunguzi who vehemently challenged Gondwe’s assertions.
Lunguzi argued that Opec Fund did not dictate such a requirement in its Memorandum of Understanding with the government.
Most MPs argued that Lilongwe was more ideal for the Cancer Centre because there more specialist medical doctors at KCH where University of North Calorina is supporting pathology services for free while in Blantyre, they are provided by College of Medicine and Mwaiwanthu Priavte Hospital at a fee.
After a lengthy and constructive debate, MPs passed the loan bill as the House agreed to have the Cancer Centre be constructed in Lilongwe.
According to Finance Minister, when the centre is constructed, government would save K480 million a year which is spent on cancer patients’ referrals outside the country.
Gondwe said centre will adversely reduce the amount money government spends on cancer patients.
The Finance Minister disclosed that on average government spend US $30,000 per patient receiving radiotherapy treatment.
“On average Malawi sends over 40 cancer patients abroad for treatment which translate to K480 million per year. This amount does not include patients who pay for themselves or those supported by insurance companies. These figures also exclude airfares and accommodation costs,” said Gondwe.
Hon Nkhata, every true Malawi is happy with your contribution on the cancer centre! Telling them without affilliation, that was factual. DPP inangoti kukamwa yasa.
Kodi why did the committee not elect Nkhata as its chairman. There was substance in his debate.
Thats the way to debate.
Mmanja mwa ma MP athu equity ndi imeneyo. Centre iyi yikhalide ku Lilongwe.
With this, the country can now see why malawi college of health sciences has not developed, the government used to believe that what ever college of medicine say is gospel truth not knowing that COM want to suffocate the other college. MOH wake up.
This centre should have built in Mzuzu for a balancing act. All along pple from z north have been following major establishments of national interest either in the centre or south. 50 years after independence what is it that was located in z north of national interest- that is not in other regions that can draw pple frm Nsanje to chitipa, mchinji to likoma except kayelekera? But then that is a natural endowment.
For equitable distribution, someone has to reflect !
Bravo Nkhata and team!! Lets be open minded osati kungoti kakaka ati poti College of medicine ili ku BT!! Ife zitikhuze!! Mwailiratu a Masamba Cancer centre!! Ntooo!!!!
Mpaka uyu minister kumapezeka ku project ina yake early in the morning,cholinga atape basi
DON’T WORRY ABOUT YA NGONGOLEYO, I HAVE MOBILIZED PHILANTHROPISTS WHO WILL ESTABLISH A CANCER FACILITY IN BLANTYRE GRATIS.
APM be very careful the way the Chewas are taking all developments. We had Bingu. You know how Bingu played his game which ended up all big developments being planted here in Lomwe land. Look at MUST. Now the Chewa are winning the games regardless of the red card we showed them on 20 may 2014. They started with stadium and now its Cancer hospital. What are you doing? All the Lomwes are not happy with such tendency and growth of the Chewas. I know we have outplayed the Tumbukas what remains is to do the same with these members of Gulewamkulu.Deal with them smartly. Alire kuti pyooo.
Yapulumka kupita ku ndata ngati MUST
Ndawonga kwa ma Mp. Mwachita Chinthu cha mampha limu.
wello done parluament on cancer center.a chisi wululani ndani aku hita bankroll federalism.. mukulota eti a proff. i am aware its a political question which needs to be tackled politically. tisaone wins skupita ku judiCiary for interprdtayoon. tiyeni refreddum both regions have equally important resources Nd educatdd people to take there nzotheka a chisi….amen
i feel like college of medicine was more ideal 4 this with the fact that it will be taken as a teaching hospital… lets face some of thez things wit a clear mind
FYI: College of Medicine has a campus in Lilongwe, there is also KCN and College of Health Sciences around KCH. So, argument of the center being in BTZ holds no water if you also consider the geographic location of Lilongwe for those who will need to access help from all parts of this country.
Besides, Goodall shouldn’t have lied that the funders dictated that the cancer center be in Blantyre, he should have just said, the govt feels it should be next to COM main campus
Gondwe should be rested. Everytime he opens his mouth,new questions arise. In Parliament soon after passing the cancer bill he said gvt will source some more funds to build two more cancer hospitals. One in the south and the other in the north! Was this an afterthought or was already in plans. One can easily deduce this as a result of frustration after being denied this one in Bt. If in good faith then the next one should be in the north or be built at the same time with same specifications.
NYAWU ZAMETETSA A LOMWE APA
Koma honourable Nkhata munandiwaza ndi mfundo zanu. Parliament izitero osati kungovomereza kapena kungotsutsa zinthu muchimbumbuli. Well done.
alomwe mwatilila
…exactly why the north should be granted separation and divorce! It would be pleasant for those on recovery road to enjoy the tranquility, beauty and fresh air but city smoke should do a fine job!
i want that cancer hospital in Blantyre because Blantyre is big city and it deserve to have all required facilities and good infrastructure such as roads, stadium, hospitals, airports, sports clubs and pack station and beautiful shopping mall not like that old one of Chichiri Blantyre 3
It has now become a norm to deny the south social development projects under the pretext that it is not the centre of the country. It was the Chinese stadium & now the cancer hospital then it will be a new airport at Chileka & so on & so on. Zipangani tikuona. You’re trying to suffocate Blantyre, the beloved city with its beautiful mountains. Town yopanda phiri kutopetsa.
In the first place the center was meant to be in Lilongwe, just like the stadium. DPP wanted to steal these infrastructures away from the capital for their own benefit. I believe deveopment shouldn’t have a hidden agenda like how dpp currently does things
Johannesburg does not have mountains.
Let Blantyre have its own development plans osati kumangopanga hijack za wena!
Malawi will soon suffer financial distress, these loans are too much. cant we fund some items from own resources?
Iwe #1, alipo wakamba za Ndata apa? Uchitsiru eti
osamapanga zinthu moyesana, mundisamale.
Goodall usanamizidwe ndi anthu ofuna kuti zonse zabwino zikhale kwawo kapena kufupi ndi kwawo. A chin Mutharikawa akuzunguza uwona. Good jod done by MPs. Cancer Centre iyenera kukhala ku Lilongwe basi osati ku Ndata ayi. Anyani anthuni. Foolish fools.
Kanyimbi akuthokoza ma MP nonse chifukwa chokambilana ndikumvana chimodzi. Poyenela kutsutsa kutsutsa. Poyenela kuvomela kubvomeleza basi. Malawi woyeee.
MALAWI NEEDS A TOP CLASS HOSPITAL ON ALL DISEASES AND CONDITIONS AND NOT JUST CANCER…….CENTERS, AND INTENSIVE CARE UNIT HOSPITALS THAT CAN ATTEND TO COMPLICATED SURGERIES TOO, RATHER THAN SEND THEM TO SOUTH AFRICA!
Lets hope president will not instruct otherwise when the loan is granted as his brother did to change location of stadium. I dont trust these DPP people anymore, govt of heavy taxes on malawians.
Well done MPs this should be a lesson for future unilateral decisions. In the same vein please name the Stadium in area 49 in honour of President Joyce Banda because it was destined for Ndata Farm. Call it JB Stadium please I beg.
Indeed the new stadium should be named after JB in recognition of the role she played in taking it back to LL
GOOD LILONGWE IS ON THE CENTRE, IT WILL CATER BOTH SOUTH AND NORH AND EAST, THEN WHY BLANTYRE, KOKERA KWAKO YALEPHEREKA APA.
The Lomweinisation of projects should be checked by the MPs. Lilongwe is the centre easily accessed by people from Chitipa & Nsanje. Mutharikas hate the centre & north. This is gospel truth only the deaf & blind can’t hear & see. Proof MUST & Stadium
WELL DONE MPs. Also remember the Chinese Stadium that should have been shifted to Ndata had god not intervened.
THANKS THE NEW MCP MPs DID NOT SLEEP THIS TIME AROUND OTHERWISE THE CANCER CENTRE LOCATION WAS GOING TO BE CLOSER TO NDATA FARM JUST LIKE THE MALAWI UNIVERSITY OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY(MUST) NOW LOCATED AT A PERSONAL NDATA FARM WHEN IT WAS ORIGINALLY PLANNED TO BE IN LILONGWE.
A Goodall, suzgo linu ni vichi? In the first place did u think of a cancer patient from Kameme/Nthalire? How much was the government going to spend on such a patient on transport to Blantyre (or is it Ndata)?? Nthawi zina kuganiza kwa anthu ophunzira aku mpoto kumakhala ngati kwa mbuzi bwanji! If mpoto is underdeveloped it’s because of people of the calibre of Gondwe, Symon and company not people from other regions! Look, a Symon chipatala cha N/bay chikuwanyerera kumalizitsa. Indeed the solution is not feudalism or seccesion (or whatever you call it), but change of the mindset of the people of the likes of Gondwe, Symon and company in leadership positions. Shame on such people. To drive the point home, there is no clause in the MOU that say chipatala chikamangidwe ku Bt as claimed by Goodall. Zaululika, munasosolera pa msampha ndi MUST, nkhanga zinaona. Big up to people like Jessie and Juliana for standing up against such ill moves by government (or is it Gondwe?).
akulu goodall is the most foolishman from the north!!!!!! he doesnt care about hiis own people!!!!! he is just a puppet of mutharika!!!!! ine nkhuona ngati mudala uyu akulya mavi ya bena mutharika!!!!! pa thako pake!!!!!!!!!
It’s sad to see sound decision made out of politic than the technocrats am speaking this as a medical doctors. Blantyre is ideal for this as it has a lot of facilities to support this including Medical school and Diagnostic equipment. Later we shall cry foul when this cancer center shall be non functional.
A Goodall, suzgo linu ni vichi? In the first place did u think of a cancer patient from Kameme/Nthalire? How much was the government going to spend on such a patient on transport to Blantyre (or is it Ndata)?? Nthawi kuganiza kwa anthu ophunzira aku mpoto sindimakumvetsa bwanji? If mpoto is underdeveloped it’s because of people of the calibre of Gondwe, Symon and company not people from other regions! Look, a Symon akulephera kumalizitsa chipatala pa Nkhatabay. Indeed the solution is not feudalism or seccesion (or whatever you call it), but change of the mindset of the people of the likes of Gondwe, Symon and company in leadership position. Shame on such people, ine kufuna kusanza, eishi!
A positive outcome. Keep on fighting for major development to come at the centre which is within reach for every Malawian.
This is a right decision. The government resources belong to everyone .
After the attempted move of the construction of the STADIUM from Lilongwe to Blantyre and a number of other decisions, DPP as a party has earned itself a TRIBALISTIC tag which is failing to fall away. The suggestion by the same party to move the cancer centre to Blantyre just reinforced the same tag ( same soup in different dishes). It is high time that the party should have a Nationalistic approach to issues,especially now that it is in the driving seat.
BLANTYRE AND MZUZU NEED A STADIUM
For Cancer Centre to be built in Lilongwe is a mkondo to DPP led Government…DPP Government wanted to move the cancer centre to Blantyre from Lilongwe amidst calls for Federalism in Malawi….
Yes remember that it was said that DPP is not a listening government its in the Muthalika minds that they want to move every development from north and centre to their southern area. It started with new stadium. Thanx ma MP,ozindikira
Oppostion 1 – Peter 0
Bravo opposition for blocking the nepotistic move of DPP to try to construct the facility in Mulakho District.
Agwa Nayo, kkk
The problem was in announcing that the project was moving from LL to BT. Mukanangoti chipatalacho chimangidwa near College of Medicine in BT palibe akanati mfwiiii or kungoti we will identify a suitable place. I doubt if bills are discussed at Cabinet meeting before tabling them in parliament. Mukanawunikira zimenezi b4 telling an MCP/Central Region dominated opposition. Nkhani yakula apa ndi regionalism. Za distance zo it’s secondary.
ok
We want our own country?
There is a real sence in bringing back the cancer hospital to Lilongwe than of changing mind of having this project built at a plot of Ndata Farm. Good job done because of not accepting this no sence from Peter.