By Wanangwa Tembo

Kasungu, March 11, Mana: Good Neighbors Malawi has donated assorted drugs worth K1 billion to Kasungu District Health Office (DHO) to help fight health emergencies in the district.

Receiving the donation on Monday, Minister of Health Khumbize Chiponda said the medicines have come at the right time when the country is fighting several diseases on various fronts, including the recent outbreak of pink eye.

“This is a well thought donation. As government, we are very thankful to Good Neighbors because this is a big donation and the drugs are those that we commonly used to treat various ailments.

“We also applaud the NGO for giving us good drugs with long shelf-life, unlike some organizations who are fond of donating medicines that are close to expiring.

“Government is not a dumping site and we appeal to all other organizations to emulate what Good Neighbors Malawi has done,” Chiponda said.

She then warned health workers against selling the drugs, advising the workers to ensure that even the facilities located in far rural areas benefit from the consignment.

Good Neighbors Malawi Country Director Gyo Jin Joo said the donation is one of the many health sector interventions the NGO has been conducting since 2008 when it began its operations in the country.

She said: “Through our integrated approach to development, we have in the past provided medical equipment, supported the campaign against cholera and Covid 19 and built hospitals.

“We requested for a list of drugs that Malawi needs and this is what we have donated today. And as we make this donation, let me say that we will continue to do this so that we contribute significantly towards reducing diseases in the country.”

According to Jin Joo, the drugs were sourced from Good Neighbors USA for the Ministry of Health, specifically Kasungu District Hospital and other facilities within the district.

While thanking the NGO for the donation, Senior Chief Kaomba appealed to traditional leaders in the district to lead in promoting health and hygiene in their localities in order to prevent the many ailments that have affected the country.

Among others, the donated drugs include anti-fungals, antiparasitic, antihypertensives, antacids and anti-infectives, such as amoxicillin, metronizadole, albendazole, captopril and others.

Apart from health sector interventions, Good Neighbors Malawi also provides individual sponsorship to school children, drills boreholes to contribute towards water, sanitation and hygiene and carries out other livelihood interventions.