Patients in northern Malawi who have long travelled hundreds of kilometres for life-saving dialysis treatment could soon access the service closer to home.
Health Minister Madalitso Baloyi told Parliament on Tuesday that the procurement process is underway, bringing the long-awaited dialysis unit at the hospital a step closer to becoming operational.
Baloyi said the dialysis unit’s infrastructure is already complete, with rooms, furniture and other essential facilities in place, leaving only the installation of the machines procured under the current National Budget approved in April.
“We have rooms, we have furniture, we have everything that is needed except for the machines. At the moment we are in the process of procuring the machines, and once that is done, we will be opening the unit very soon,” said Baloyi.
She said the investment is expected to address a major gap in specialised healthcare in the Northern Region, which currently has no functional dialysis unit, forcing patients to travel long distances to access treatment.
The minister made the remarks while responding to questions from Members of Parliament, many of whom raised concerns over ambulance shortages, stalled health facility projects and the need to upgrade healthcare infrastructure across the country.
Baloyi said the current budget also provides for the procurement of ambulances and construction of district hospitals, adding that the government is working with development partners, including the Global Fund, the World Bank, UNICEF and China Aid, to strengthen health service delivery.
She further urged Members of Parliament to actively participate in district council planning processes, saying the government’s decentralisation policy gives local authorities greater responsibility to identify and prioritise development projects that address the needs of their communities.
