No dialysis machine in North Malawi, Chakwera directs to let the region have one

President Lazarus Chakwera has directed Ministry of Health to establish dialysis centre in North Malawi for the first time in over 58 years of independence and failing acute kidney disease patients who either died without help or travel to Lilongwe for treatment.

The President declared this on Saturday at the the Karonga-Chitipa Cultural Festival at Mbande Hill, saying the two existing dialysis centre established in the past two years of his administration are not enough.

“We need to build one here in the north, which is why I am directing the Minister of Health to see to it that whatever we did to speedily establish dialysis centres in Blantyre and Lilongwe is done here in the north, starting next year.

“I also know that there is a cholera outbreak in this part of the country, and my Government has already secured 2.9 million doses of cholera vaccine from the World Health Organization, and Karonga and Chitipa will be among the first to benefit from this initiative, because national unity means ensuring that every part of the country is served by Government.

“Even when the resources we have are limited and not enough to cover everyone, it is our job to make sure they are distributed equitably.”

The President was emphasizing this to attest that cultural festivals, that include Karonga-Chitipa Cultural Festival, Chiwanja cha aYao, Mulhakho wa aLomwe, are for uniting Malawians.

“The MW2063 Vision says that a better country is one that is an inclusively wealthy self-reliant industrialized middle-income economy, and there is no Malawian that does not want that.

“So if we all want Malawi to be a better country, then we should unite by working together to make that happen. That means that if you hold a position in Government, you should include other Malawians who do not hold any Government post in the work you are doing.

“You should find ways to hear their ideas on how the work you are doing for Malawi can be done better. You should find ways to bring them in to help your efforts succeed, even if it means bringing them in as volunteers.

“The work of Government is to lead all Malawians in making a contribution to the cause of making Malawi better. By extension, it also means that if you do not hold a position in Government, but you see a Ministry, Department, or Agency of Government where you can make a contribution, you should offer to help, even in your spare time.

He added that national unity means making sure that every region and district of the country is allocated development projects, saying “the Constitution says very clearly that development is a right to be enjoyed by all Malawians”.

“If we are building schools, or hospitals, or roads, we must build them across the country — that’s what we are doing. National unity means making sure that every President in office is supported in developing the country.

“I don’t mean that we must agree with our Presidents or not criticize them. What I mean is that if what I or any President of Malawi has at any given time do is something you know is good for Malawi, you should say so and support it publicly.

“The reason for this is simple — every President, even a President you did not vote for, is a President for everyone, a President even for those who did not vote for them.

“And last but not least, national unity means celebrating our culture and reforming it to thrive in modern times, and that is why I am pleased that we have all gathered here to do that.

“I am pleased that we have all come from around the country to celebrate a part of our culture. I am pleased that we have come to honour His Majesty and our traditional leaders as custodians of our culture and its values.

“I am pleased that young people are embracing these celebrations and actively participating in them to ensure they are preserved across generations.

“I am pleased that today, we are one nation of one people with one vision. So thank you, Your Majesty, Ntemi Gwa Batemi Kyungu, for your leadership in bringing us together as one today,” he said in honouring Paramount Chief Kyungu.