Alma Teachers training college has supported Mzimba district hospital with assorted electrical and medical equipment worth K2.5 million to ease some of the challenges the facility is facing in the delivery of health services.

 

The private teacher's college has also bailed out the facility, with funds for purchasing fuel to enhance referral services for critically sick covid19 patients.

 

Speaking during a handover ceremony, the Principal director for the college, Professor Ken Bilima said the support is part of their corporate social responsibility towards assisting communities in the district.

 

Professor Bilima said they were concerned with challenges the facility had been almost all corridors and toilets had no working electricity bulbs.

 

"We felt compelled as an institution to reach out to Mzimba district hospital after we noted a number of challenges for instance bulbs along corridors were not working, there was no electricity in the toilets so when night falls you can imagine how the situation can be", said Professor Bilima.

 

He said after being told that the facility was facing challenges in the referral of critically sick covid19 patients from remote areas they came in with additional funds to carter for fuel purposes 

 

" This is not a one-all thing as Alma we will continue to support in whatever way we can so that we help in uplifting the lives of the people ", said Professor Bilima.

 

Among the items the institution has made available to Mzimba district hospital are bulbs, wires, and cables, lamp holders, floodlights, 80 vials of lignocaine, infrared thermometers, digital thermometers and sutures.

 

As part of their contribution students from the college donated soap and other covid 19 prevention materials to the hospital and swept the surroundings.

 

Mmbelwa district council director of health and social services Dr. Ted Bandawe said the support is timely.

 

Dr. Bandawe said the funds for fuel will ease the challenge in collecting critically sick covid19 patients from across the vast district 

 

"We are indeed overwhelmed as you know Mzimba district is very vast so we need more fuel to ferry in patients who are critically ill with covid19 you know we are receiving 5 to 6 cases of critically sick patients a day which has to come here for treatment so we are meeting challenges", said Dr. Bandawe.

 

He expressed gratitude for the support from Alma teachers college but called on other well-wishers and nonstate actors to emulate the gesture especially now when the district is registering a rise in covid19 cases in this third wave of the pandemic.

 

District commissioner for the Mmbelwa district council Emmanuel Bambe echoed similar sentiments in commending Alma teachers college for the support which will go a long way in improving service delivery at the facility.