K154m needed to rehabilitate Mangochi Hospital

Vice President Saulos Chilima has called upon the corporate world to assist in the rehabilitation of Mangochi Hospital which requires K154 million.

Chilima was speaking during a visit at the hospital to appreciate the extent of damage.

The vice president hailed community members who helped fight the fire which gutted down the hospital’s Out-Patient Department on Sunday.

“The people who put out the fire risked their precious lives, they had to forget about their own lives just to put out fire down, and this is what we call patriotism, your bravery helped to ensure that we recorded no casualties as a result of the fire,” Chilima said.

Speaking on the matter, Mangochi District Health officer Henry Chibowa Junior said the reconstruction and rehabilitation of the hospital would cost about K154 million.

“There was also need to replace nine damaged vaccine coolers and that the replacement would cost around K36 million,” said Chibowa.

He added that the estimated total damage the fire caused to the facility is within the range of K300 million.

“We appeal for urgent assistance, most of our hospital operations have been halted by the fire,” he said.

The Department of Disaster Management Affairs (DoDMA) has since provided relief items to the hospital which include mattresses, bags of rice, buckets and blankets.

Meanwhile, Mangochi District Commissioner Rev. Moses Chimphepo has called upon authorities to consider purchasing a firefighting engine for the district, saying the closest they rely upon, which is based in Zomba, takes about two hours to arrive in Mangochi.