PATH Malawi donates part of respiratory care equipment worth $1.2million to gov’t
PATH Malawi has donated part of medical oxygen and critical care equipment it procured worth US$1.2million to Ministry of Health.
The equipment includes 1500 oxygen cylinders, 300 pressure regulators, 300 flowmeters, 300 bubble humidifiers, 100 patient monitors, 5, 500 oxygen masks, 150 oxygen concentrators with flow rate of 100 litres per minute.
Other items are 150 hand-held pulse oximeters and 30 compressible self-refilling ventilation bags. Speaking when he officially handed over the equipment in Lilongwe on Friday, the organisation’s Country Representative, Jones Stamalevi, said his organisation is giving out the respiratory care equipment in support to expand access to medical oxygen and critical care in Malawi.
“Quality equipment is a core requirement for sustainable delivery of medical oxygen to patients who need it. These include severe and critical ill Covid-19 patients,” Stamalevi said.
He expressed his organisation’s commitment to continue supporting the ministry and stands ready to further provide technical assistance in equipment management work and oxygen system.
The Ministry of Health Principal Secretary of Administration, Beston Chisamile, commended the organisation for a timely donation made to the ministry.
“We need more oxygen and critical care equipment because of the surge in oxygen demand due Covid 19 and other respiratory illnesses,” Chisamile said.
According to the Malawi Oxygen Ecosystem Roadmap, oxygen systems in Malawi do not meet the current needs of the population, resulting in excess morbidity and mortality from a variety of illnesses and conditions that can be treated with oxygen therapy.
He therefore called upon for more interventions in equipment and supplies from private sector, Stakeholders and development partners.
