Minister of Sports Ulemu Msungama, who used taxpayers’ money to travel to India for a knee surgery but was pictured with a bandage on his head, has claimed that he did not have a hair transplant in India.
Msungama addressed a new conference on Tuesday in Lilongwe following claims on social media that he had undergone cosmetic surgery using taxpayers’ money.
The Minister said he sustained a knee injury while playing social football for Parliament team in August 2019.
According to Msungama, with the help of Medical Aid Society of Malawi (MASM) he tried to get medical assistance but failed to get the best treatment local and was advised to got to India or South Africa.
The minister confirmed that his air ticket and accommodation was paid by the Ministry of Sports but his medical bills were covered by MASM.
He added that before departure to India, he obtained approval from MASM to extend his treatment to Lipomas which is on his shoulder and back of his head.
“If I had a bandage it was because they removed a swelling at the back of my head. It’s not like I had a hair transplant,” he said.
Msungama further revealed that he uses hair fibres to cover the bald parts on his head. According to Msungama, the hair fibres cost K20,000.
“I am at pains to go this far because these issues are supposed to be private,” said the Minister.
However, Malawians have wondered why politicians under the Tonse Alliance have continued the practise of seeking medical assistance abroad. There are concerns that the government will not fix the country’s health sector if politicians do not use local hospitals.
“And we still expect that politicians will transform our health facilities for the better when they prefer international hospitals for even just a headache,” said one person on Facebook.
Another Facebook said: “So if you the politicians always seek medical care abroad. where do you expect the poor us to go? let’s assume if that knee was with me or one of my fellow poor tax payer then it would have been a cured problem for good isn’t? ?? its high time Malawi 50 years plus of independence but our health facilities cannot heal a Knee like seriously.”
