Malawi Relief Fund UK Donates Washing Machine To Chiradzulu Hospital

MRF-UK’s administrator Aisha Missi (left) handing over the washing machine valued at over K700,000

* All other machines installed since its inception in 2005 are in unrepairable state

* It is difficult to find spares for these old machine as technology is changing in everything

* MRF-UK has also initiated repairing works of the hospital mortuary’s cold room

By Duncan Mlanjira

Malawi Relief Fund (MRF) UK has donated one washing machine with a 8.0kg washing capacity to Chiradzulu District Hospital’s laundry room — whose five machines and a dyer broke down a long time ago.

At the official presentation, District Health Office’s Director of health

 services, Jameson Chautsa said their machines were bought since the hospital’s inception in 2005 and have outlived their lifespan and are outdated.

“As technology is changing in everything, so is that of washing machines and it is difficult to find spares for these old machines,” he said.

“At the same time it was becoming very costly to repair them because we had to source spares from outside the country.

“So we really appreciate Malawi Relief Fund UK’s donation because it will ease the burden of our laundry staff, who had to manually wash bed linens and other necessary medical cloths,” he said.

Chautsa added that when MRF-UK approached them to assist in some of the challenges they faced, the laundry and the mortuary’s cold rooms were their priorities areas.

He appealed to other well-wishers to also consider helping them, saying government’s support cannot meet some of the challenges they face — most of which become emergency in nature.

MRF-UK has since initiated the repairing process of the mortuary’s cold room and have already bought a new compressor and its accessories to cater for six of the 12 corpse drawers, which is being undertaken by Anderson Engineering.

MRF-UK’s country director, Yakub Valli said they have already paid the contractor, Anderson Engineering over K2.5 million for the cold room which is in the final stages of electrical installation.

Valli said Chiradzulu is one of their catchment areas where they assist vulnerable people by building them low cost houses as well as providing food relief in times of disasters.

“So we thought we should also assist the hospital because our beneficiaries also need is services and when we approached the hospital management they took us on a tour of the areas that need assistance,” he said.

“There are just many areas we saw which we might consider assisting when funds shall be available because we want the beneficiaries from our other projects as well all the people in Chiradzulu should get the best services from their hospital.”

He said they carry out their provision of low cost houses in Machinga, Phalombe and Chiradzulu and that just last year they managed to hand over over 500 houses.

“The target this year is also to provide 500 low cost houses in our endeavour to assist vulnerable households, that include the elderly and parents who raise orphans.”

MRF-UK has since its establishment worked towards lessen sufferings of many Malawians and amongst its projects include in agriculture, housing, bicycle ambulance and water provision though drilling of boreholes.

It also provides gift of sight, sponsors needy students through Islamic Zakaat Fund (IZF), winterwarmth, orphanage, empowering youth and women through vocational skills including bicycles and fish boats and meat distribution.

In December last year, it distributed relief items to over 300 families in Mangochi District that were affected by strong winds due to heavy rains.

The strong winds wreaked havoc in three areas — Makawa, Lutende and Chiponde —  rendering hundreds of families helpless and MRF UK distributed food parcels containing maize flour, rice, beans, Likuni Phala, salt, sugar as well as plastic sheeting roll items.

In 2019, it also partnered with Malawi Special Olympics in a programme which is reaching out to primary schools that enroll special needs learners to facilitate health screening exercises.

Malawi Special Olympics reaches out to schools in more than 24 districts in Malawi in conjunction with Ministry of Gender, Children, Disability and Social Welfare.

In 2018, MRF-UK partnered with IZF by investing over K900 million over a period of 4 years to provide financial support for 224 underprivileged Malawian students to complete higher tertiary education in various universities and colleges across the country.

MRF-UK also funds Shukran Orphan Care Centre in Zomba.

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