Muluzi opens 6 new modern surgical theatres at KCH: ‘Malawi govt to take good care of its people’

Ministry of Health and Population on Monday opened six newly constructed operating theaters at Kamuzu Central Hospital (KCH) worth K 2.8 billion from Norwegian Church Aid (NCA).

Speaking during the opening ceremony in Lilongwe, Minister of Health and Population, Atupele Muluzi said that the new theaters are a sign of how government is committed to deliver good health services to its citizens in the country.

“These are state of the art theaters is the government efforts to offer and take good care of its people by making sure that they get better health services,” he pointed out

Muluzi explained that government is willing to deliver free and high quality health services.

He observed that government alone could not provide all essential health services and  this is why we appreciate the donor community like NCA for coming in to help the efforts of the government is doing to make sure that people are accessing good health services in the country.

“The new theaters at KCH compliments government determinations of making sure that nurses, doctors and patients are well taking care of by providing them with good facilities,” the Minister said.

Muluzi advised the workers at KCH to take good care of the new theaters and equipment so that patients can be treated in good time.

“As government we don’t want this facility to be abused, we have heard the reports that some workers here are collecting money from patients in order for them to be treated. This is totally wrong and everyone found doing this will be disciplined accordingly,” he explained.

The outgoing Norwegian Ambassador to Malawi, Kikkan Haugen said that Norway thought of helping government of Malawi by constructing the new theaters at KCH because patients are not given the care they need due to lack of equipment and good facilities needed to treat them.

“Through the health services joint fund Norway will together with the United Kingdom (UK) and Germany invest in more infrastructure and equipment development for health facilities throughout the country,” he said

Haugen asked the government through the Ministry of Health to set aside funds for maintenance of these building and equipment in the years to come as such investments are costly if are not well kept they can quickly deteriorate.

Norwegian Church Aid (NCA) Country Representative, Havard Hovdhaugen said that they are implementing various projects in the country to improve access to health services.

“NCA compliments the government’s efforts to ensure that its citizens have the highest possible level of health and quality of life. The key of improving the health of the nation is to combine efforts of individuals, communities, organizations, co-operating partners and government by coming together,” he added.

Hovdhaugen said the construction of the new theaters at KCH shows how the NCA’s ongoing commitment to compliment government efforts to improve access to health services delivery in the country.

Norway through the Norwegian Church Aid has supported infrastructure projects at KCH with Intensive Care Unit (ICU) and High Dependency Unit (HDU).

Before the Norwegian gesture, the referral facility had to make do with three theatres which authorities said were not adequate as surgeons needed to attend to many patients at the same time during emergencies such as road traffic accidents.

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