Malawi: Deputy Minister of Health, Halima Daud on Thursday inaugurated a K700 million multi drug resistant Tuberculosis (TB) Ward. The TB Ward was a part of the Balaka District Hospital. The new ward is expected to help reduce the problems that patients have been facing in the district.
Balaka is prone to having more people suffering from TB due to a growing population of investors in the mining sector. Accordingly, the authorities have termed the the construction of the ward as timely.
The Deputy Minister of Health, Halima Daudi took a tour of the facility and inaugurated the TB Ward opening it for the public. Daud said a good health system is important to any nation. She announced that government is investing in constructing 9000 health posts in the country.
The aim of the initiative is to ensure that the people of the country can get access to health facilities closer to home. She said the intervention is also meant to reduce congestion which is being observed at the district and central hospitals.
Deputy Minister of Health Halima Daudi said: “This multi-drug resistant TB ward will go a long way in alleviating the many challenges Balaka District Health Office has been facing to treat those suffering from TB.
“Let me urge you all and those working in places prone to TB to rush to the hospital before it is too late. Every person in this country is important to help in the development agenda.
“This can only happen if we have healthy people, together we can continue to make significant strides in our fight against TB and ensure a healthier future for all.”
Director of Health and Social Services for Balaka District Council, Dr. Chimwemwe Thambo also offered his views on the situation. He admitted that for years, the hospital has been struggling to refer patients to Queen Elizabeth or Kamuzu central hospitals.
As such many resources within the hospital are drained. However, with the construction of the facility will help the district office to reduce such expenditures.
“With a population of over 600,000, every year, our district hospital sees not more than 12 patients with multi drug resistant TB. The construction of the ward is timely and each time we do not have a patient, the structure will be used to house other patients,” he said.
Balaka District Council Chairperson, Osman Mapira thanked government for the timely intervention, noting that the district is fast growing with more potential investors coming in to invest in the mining sector.
“We have seen Portland Cement Company investing, we also have the Lindian Company which is mining rare earth and again, our district produces Lime which in one way or the other leaves the surrounding community as well as those working in such factories prone to TB,” he said.
Mapira called on government to consider Balaka by constructing a befitting district hospital as the current one was a leprosy center donated by the Catholic Church.
Construction of the multi-drug resistant TB Ward was financed by the World Bank.