Malawi needs patriotic citizens like Anadkat family for her to develop—Health Minister Khumbize Kandodo

Minister of Health, Khumbize Kandodo Chiponda has described the snail’s pace of the country’s development as a result of lack of enough patriotic individuals and companies who are not taking part towards the nation’s development — thus she calls for total collaboration in order to create change needed.

Kandodo Chiponda made the remarks at Queen Elizabeth Central Hospital (QECH) in Blantyre, where she was guest of honour during the official opening of the Children Accidents & Emergency Unit-Anadkat Centre, which was constructed by the Anadkat family in partnership with Welcome Trust at a cost of K1 billion.

She profoundly applauded the Anadkat family for putting Malawi at their heart by taking part in many developmental areas, while requesting other individuals and private sectors to emulate the good gesture and always show patriotism, which she said it is a key to development.

“The majority of the countries we respect today, rely on collective effort from the private sector players, who are always supportive to their respective governments,” she said.

“It is very unfortunate that despite having a good number of private sector players, only a few are able to take a leading role in giving back to the country’s economy although they are making good profits.

“Government alone cannot manage to fulfill all its development projects but with support from other players in the private sector, it can be easier to achieve more and make the MW2063 vision accomplished,” said the Health Minister.

She described the children centre as a very special gift and great contribution to the health sector and the public at larger as it will play a vital role in improving children’s health and ensure they become strong future leaders of the country.

Representing the Anadkat family, Meeta Anadkat said they decided to construct the children’s centre in response to a request from one of the charitable organisations which got concerned with the status of the children’s facility, whose condition was not creating a conducive environment for sick children.

“When we visited the centre, we discovered that indeed the hospital needed a rescue in terms of building a standard structure in order to save lives of children and today we are very much excited as we are handing over the centre to Queens as we believe in supporting the underprivileged people,” she said.

QECH Director, Dr Kelvin Mponda hailed the Anadkat family for the new facility, which will now accommodate a good number of children seeking for medical assistance as well as ensure paediatric deaths are reduced.

The monumental and life-changing facility for children’s accident and emergency medical services is set to decongest the main Accident & Emergency (A&E) unit of the referral hospital and will ensure that children receive special life-saving treatment and care upon arrival at the hospital.

The facility, whose walls are beautified with child-friendly hand painted murals, comprises several modern treatment areas that include a triage area, where children are assessed upon arrival.

It also has a functioning high dependency unit (HDU), which is adjacent to the seating area is a newly built — a breath of fresh air to both patients and clinical staff alike.

Alongside it is the first of its kind children’s mortuary, which was built and designed with careful detail and thought, such as the memorable wall mural that provides a semblance of much needed calm during the loss of a child.

According to last year’s hospital records, Queens Paediatric Unit caters for around 100,000 children as outpatients annually and around 25,000 children are admitted in a year.

Approximately, 10 children require resuscitation every hour and since 2013, the mortality rate has been reduced from 20% to 3%.

Operations in the new building will be enhanced too, as piped oxygen has been provided for to curb preventable deaths. The current addition has certainly lifted the face of the medical facility, which is the biggest referral hospital in the Southern Region and Malawi.

Hitesh Anadkat, who is the founder of First Capital Bank, which was launched as First Merchant Bank in 1995 — is one of Malawi’s most revered businessman, investor and philanthropy.

The Anadkat family have been noted for their large philanthropic contributions in Malawi and their projects have primarily been in the health, education and prison reform sectors.

Among notable contributions in health include the Anadkat Hostel at Kamuzu University of Health Sciences (KUHeS) — formerly University of Malawi College of Medicine and the Anadkat-Wellcome Trust Adult Emergency & Trauma Centre and children’s ward at Queens.

Anadkat has also been involved in prison reform having publicly decried prison conditions and congestion in Malawi. He faulted magistrates for giving disproportionately large sentences to minor offenders.

In 2020, he constructed the largest prison block in the Malawi Prison Services at the Chichiri Prison in Blantyre.

The Anadkats also assisted towards Tropical Cyclone Freddy victims and he also recognizes philanthropic works of others. He was guest of honour at the inaugural presentation of ‘Award of Excellence’ in September last initiated by non-governmental organization, Young Achievers Development (YAD) — which recognised 12 Malawians for their outstanding and crucial individual roles that have helped to change lives of many people.

At the colourful ceremony that took place at Golden Peacock Hotel in Blantyre, Anadkat commended YAD for organizing the program, saying if the country is to achieve more in different areas, there is a need for people to start recognizing individuals who are always putting other people’s effort at heart by reaching out to them with their resources with the aim of improving their lives as well as contributing to the development of the country.

“Helping each other from the limited resources we have, more especially the needy, the whole society stand a chance of becoming better,” he had said. “So time has come for all Malawians to consider this because those struggling in life can only realize their future through our support.

“Today, YAD has set a good example despite being a small organization and let me take this opportunity to ask other people and companies to emulate such a good gesture so that we make Malawi a better country together by empowering skillful Malawians.”

Hitesh, whose father was also a prominent businessman in Malawi, was born at Queens in 1960 when the country was still under British colonial rule.

Anadkat has a Bachelor of Science (Economics) degree from the University of London and and a Master’s in Business Administration from Cornell University.

After completing his education, Anadkat worked in the United States, eventually starting his own corporate finance firm in Connecticut before returning to Malawi in 1992.

In 1994, Anadkat was granted the first private banking licence in Malawi and established First Merchant Bank (FMB) in 1995 — which proved successful even in its infancy before transforming into FMB Capital Holdings.—Additional reporting by Duncan Mlanjira, Nyasa Times

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