For 256 children waiting at BEIT Cure Children’s Hospital, the chance to walk without pain, attend school comfortably and play with their friends remains out of reach as they wait for corrective surgery.
The children have conditions such as clubfoot, bowed legs, knock knees, brittle bones, severe burn contractures and cleft lips. Each successful surgery can cost about K2.5 million per child.
The cost presents an uphill battle for most families, who may struggle to raise millions of kwacha for operations their children need to improve their quality of life, prompting calls for greater support to help them access treatment.
Against this backdrop, Sparc Systems has donated K100 million to BEIT Cure Children’s Hospital under the Renewing Hope initiative, bringing relief to the fundraising campaign for corrective surgery.
Sparc Systems founder Wisely Phiri said the corporate sector should invest in children’s healthcare, arguing that children should not be neglected because they could become important contributors to society in the future.
Phiri said his company had supported the initiative from the beginning and urged other businesses to contribute towards the fundraising target.
BEIT Cure executive director Rhoda Kriek said the donation would help the hospital provide surgical care to children on its waiting list.
“These are children who have waited years to walk without pain, to sit in a classroom with their friends, and to stop being defined by a condition that we know how to treat,” Kriek said.
While Sparc Systems’ contribution marks progress, more financial support is needed to help the children access the treatment they require.
The campaign highlights the importance of collective support for children’s healthcare, with further contributions needed to turn years of waiting into an opportunity for treatment and a better quality of life.
