‘Opulence-heeding the call for health sector interventions'
Malawi 2063 envisions a “healthy population with an improved life expectancy working towards the socio-economic transformation of Malawi.” Central to this vision is “providing a comprehensive healthcare system through interventions that will improve the availability and quality of health infrastructure, medical equipment, medicines, and medical supplies.”
While government efforts remain pivotal, achieving this transformation requires the collective involvement of citizens, stakeholders, and partners. Moreover, the journey toward realizing the aspirations of MW2063 cannot wait for 2063; it starts now, with a healthy population that has access to health services, facilities, and essential medicines.
However, challenges persist, particularly the unstable availability of essential medicines in public health facilities. It is against this backdrop that Opulence, a non-profit organization operating in Dowa, facilitated the donation of drugs and medical equipment to Dowa District Hospital, Madisi Catholic Mission Health Centre, and Wandikweza Health Centre. This generous contribution, valued at K5 billion, was made possible through Heart to Heart International, a partner of Opulence.
Hugo Ngwira, founder and Executive Director of Opulence Malawi says that the organization decided to source the drugs and medical supplies, which were all worth K5 billion, as one way of helping the government in promoting good health and access to health care services amongst communities.
“As Opulence, we normally work hand in hand with the Church of Resurrection who annually, and for more than ten years now, bring a medical team to Malawi to conduct mobile clinics in Dowa district. During these exercises, we work hand in hand with Dowa District Hospital and Wandikweza Health Centre.
“However, along the way, we recognized the pressing need for medication. As you know, the country is currently facing economic challenges, including a shortage of foreign exchange, which has made it challenging for the government to procure medicines from abroad.”
“It is for this reason that we reached out to our partners, the Church of Resurrection, who then reached out to their partner Heart to Heart International and explained to them about the drug situation in Malawi, and they were more than willing to support us,” he explains.
According to Hugo, the organization provided a list of drugs needed, but to ensure the donation meets the gaps, Opulence consulted the three institutions to establish the drugs that were needed in the hospitals.
“We wanted to give a chance to the hospitals to indicate which drugs they would need from those which were available. And we were glad that every item that was shipped and aired to us, met a specific need,” he adds.
Amongst the drugs that were donated included Amlodipine, potassium citrate, breyna, bisoprolol hydrochlorothiazide, atorvastatin calcium tablets, nisoldipine, diclofenac sodium, and betamethasone dipropionate.
Also, the donation included medical equipment like hygiene kits, disposable syringes, antibacterial and sanitizing supplies, otoscope diagnostic sets, BCI isolation gowns, and digital blood pressure kits amongst others.
The Executive Director then also committed that as an organization they will continue with similar future interventions.
In his remarks, Director of Health and Social Services for Dowa Dr Peter Makoza says they were excited with the donation which he said was a right-timed gesture.
“If you look at our guiding document under the Health Sector Strategic Plan three, it is looking at partners coming together, planning, working, and evaluating together issues to do with the health sector because the need out there is quite huge.
“And when partners come to support government’s efforts, whether infrastructural, in running programs, or with medicines, it helps in filling the gaps and improve our indicators. So, we are very grateful for what Opulence and its partners have done for us in Dowa,” he says.
He then implored all stakeholders working in the health sector in Dowa to borrow a leaf from what Opulence has done.
“Opulence has and continues to do a lot in the district. But we still need more partners to come in because, in unity, there is power. With our combined efforts, we can easily gain the milestones we want in Dowa,” he adds.
Wandikweza’s Pharmacy Technician, Douglas Magombo, echoes these sentiments, assuring stakeholders that the donated supplies would be used responsibly and in line with government systems. “This donation will go a long way in addressing immediate needs. We are committed to ensuring these resources are managed transparently and reach those who need them the most,” he indicates.
Health Systems Research and Management Expert Professor Maureen Chirwa says the donation was important as the government does not have adequate resources to meet all the health needs of Malawi’s population, hence the need for partners to come in. She, however, highlights that donations must be tailored to address a particular gap. Similarly, if resources have been saved because of the donation, these should be used effectively for other important things.
“It is unfortunate at times that when a donation is received, the money that was supposed to be used to buy the same is misused, so we appeal to all institutions receiving donations that they should look at the donations as a relief on their budget burden or constraints which we are always experiencing.
“And we would like to thank the donors and ask them to keep on helping us with resources that are required, resources which are relevant, beneficial, and those that can make a positive impact on our health sector,” she says.
As Malawi strives toward the goals outlined in MW2063, interventions like these underline the importance of collective responsibility in achieving a healthy and productive population.
The success of this initiative serves as a call to action for other stakeholders to step forward, ensuring that every Malawian has access to the healthcare they deserve. Together, we can create a future where health challenges are met with resilience, collaboration, and sustainable solutions.
