Skimpy funds compromise diet quality at Mzuzu Central Hospital

Meagre trickle-in funds from government have forced Mzuzu Central Hospital to offer poor and not “on time” meals to patients a situation that is compromising their quick recoveries, its administration has admitted.

The hospital director, Dr Frank Sinyiza, among others, told Nyasa Times  that while the northern region only referral facility requires about K180 million budgetary support to support meals for patients in a month, Mzuzu Central only gets K110 million.

“It is not a debatable fact that an excellent diet compliments proper healing. We are supposed to be offering  patients all the 3 meals of the day; that is, breakfast, lunch and supper. Actually, patients are supposed to be offered such meals that must include beef or so. But we are unable to achieve that.

“The reason is that we are compromised by the trickle-in of funds from government. We only get K110 million a month when in realistic circumstances we are supposed to get about K180 million,” said Sinyiza.

But health minister, Jappie Mhango, who visited the 350-bed capacity hospital on New Year’s Day on Wednesday, said as government it was trying to make sure that all hospitals get enough funding for patients’ meals.

“Government is making sure that this problem is sorted. As a ministry, we are also aware that with proper and adequate meals patients can quickly and effectively get healed of their ails,” said Mhango.

During the visit, Mhango donated a cow and bags of maize “so that the patients could enjoy the New Year Day in style.”

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