Malawian Twitter users have contributed over K400,000 to be used for the purchase of an oxygen cylinder for the Queen Elizabeth Central Hospital (QECH).
According to Pemphero Mphande who facilitated the contributions, the pediatric emergency unit at the institution has for the past few days struggled to treat patients in the emergency unit as its oxygen cylinder got broken.
Mphande further said the gauge was broken by a child who was also on treatment in the emergency unit.
He said the facility could delay in purchasing a new machine for the unit hence he asked Twitter users to contribute towards the purchase of the gauge.
Mphande said people have since contributed K415,000 of the needed K300,000 and this was done within 10 hours on Saturday.
“Contributions have come from Malawians across the country on Twitter with amounts ranging from K5,000 to K100,000. This shows the power of social media when it is used for the common good,” he said.
Mphande added that an oxygen cylinder will be purchased without delay and the remaining K115,000 will be used to purchase groceries for patients in the same pediatric emergency unit.
“We are only buying one that was the target. It was to address an immediate problem in the pediatric emergency department as the process to procure another one was going to be a long one with government red tape,” said Mphande.
He then thanked all Malawians who have contributed towards the purchase of the machine.
