Callista tipped for malaria ambassadorship

BY WATIPASO MZUNGU JNR

President Bingu wa Mutharika yesterday officially opened Chisoka Health Centre in Thyolo where he also announced his government was considering setting up a new portfolio for malaria control and that First Lady Callista Mutharika will be its first ambassador.

Callista Mutharika is currently the African Union (AU) Safe Motherhood Goodwill Ambassador for Malawi after replacing Vice President Joyce Banda.

“…my government attaches great value to issues of motherhood and the fight to reduce maternal deaths, hence I appointed the First Lady, Madam Callista Mutharika, as Safe Motherhood Goodwill Ambassador. And very soon, I am going to give her some more portfolios, especially that of malaria control programmes,” Mutharika said, explaining that Malawi cannot achieve safe motherhood without controlling the spread of malaria.

“There is a direct and close link between these two issues. In the same vein, I will also appoint her to take over the responsibilities of prevention of mother-to-child-transmission of HIV and Aids [PMTCT] programmes,” he added.

And turning to the new health centre, Mutharika said Chisoka was crucial in the fight against maternal mortality in rural areas of Thyolo.

But the president warned health officials against stealing government drugs and equipment for sale to private hospitals, saying his administration will not exercise lenience on the culprits.

“I would like to appeal to the authorities to ensure that there is no theft of the hospital equipment at this facility. But I’m also aware that medical personnel are the main culprits of drug theft in the country. Besides drugs, they are selling hospital beddings [blankets]. This is retrogressive and should stop, I plead,” Mutharika said.

He thanked African Development Bank (AfDB) for the financial support towards the construction of the clinic. And in his remarks at the function, AfDB Country Representative, Frank Kufakwandi, pledged his bank's continued support to the health sector.

Minister of Health Professor David Mphande indicated that the new health centre will cater for 19,000 people from T/A Chimaliro’s area and will offer a wide range of services such as PMTCT, safe motherhood services, fistula scan, maternal and postnatal and HIV Testing and Counselling services, among others.

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