National Bank of Malawi (NBM) plc has donated a blood bank refrigerator worth K40 million to Mangochi District Hospital to address blood storage challenges in the eastern region.
The Bank made a commitment through the Malawi Blood Transfusion Services (MBTS) to secure two blood bank fridges for Mangochi and Mulanje hospitals.
Speaking after the handover ceremony at the hospital on Friday, NBM plc Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Harold Jiya said they were convinced by MBTS to make the donation after noting that blood transportation and storage is the biggest challenge in the region.
“We learnt through MBTS that Mangochi District Hospital struggles to keep blood after collecting due to lack of blood bank fridges which affects the other health centres surrounding the facility.”
“As the ‘Bank of the Nation’, we know that good health is a prerequisite for all other building blocks of any nation, so we thought of helping them. We believe the donation will foster the nation’s development,” said Jiya.
MBTS Acting CEO, Bridon M’baya commended NBM plc for the support saying Mangochi district registered the highest number of people that needed blood transfusion in the region last year.
“We applaud NBM plc for this support of a blood bank refrigerator. This will help reduce blood challenges in the eastern region. You may wish to know that last year, Mangochi district only asked for 52 percent of the total blood the eastern region needed. Hospitals around the region will no longer have to travel long distances to Blantyre or Balaka to access blood,” he said.
Director of health and social services for Mangochi, Dr. Henry Chibowa Junior said the hospital conducts about 400 blood transfusions in a month and was heavily affected by storage capacity and the donation is a relief.
“The new blood bank has a capacity of over 600 units of blood, which is a relief. National Bank plc has proven to be a trusted partner and more lives will be saved through this donation,” he said.
According to Chibowa, Mangochi hospital serves a population of about two million people and is surrounded by seven health centres.
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