Malawi-based businessman and philanthropist Hitesh Anadkat has handed over phase one of the life changing Pediatric Accident and Emergency Unit at Queen Elizabeth Central Hospital in Blantyre in a bid to promote delivery of quality health care for children.
Head of Pediatrics, Accident and Emergency Unit, Dr. Jo Langton said the new facility has decongested the main Accident and Emergency (A&E) building and will ensure that children receive life-saving treatment and care upon arrival at the hospital.
The facility whose walls are beautifully clad with hand painted murals comprises of several modern treatment areas that include a triage area, where children are assessed upon arrival.
Depending on the nature of the case, treatment will then be provided in one of the many private rooms.
Adjacent to the seating area, is a newly built and functioning high dependency unit (HDU), which is a breath of fresh air to both patients and clinical staff alike according to Dr. Langton, and alongside that is one of its kind childrenโs mortuary.
The total cost of the project is estimated at MK600 million.
She has since commended the Anadkat family for the state-of-the-art facility.
Meanwhile QECH Hospital Director, Dr Samson Mndolo, said the hospital would now be able to be efficiently provide ailing children the urgent attention and treatment they deserve.
He thanked the Anadkat family for a timely and well needed donation.
Anadkat told MIJ Online that their decision to give towards quality child health care was aimed at ensuring children are getting the best health care that is crucial on their survival and well-being.
โItโs painful and unacceptable to see the children suffer without adequate facilities – we had to, in fact we needed to. We are a Malawian family, “he said.
This is not the first time the family has given towards Queen Elizabeth Central Hospital as their numerous previous supports include the funding towards construction of the adult Accident and Emergency (A&E) Unit.
Annually, the Queens Pediatric Unit caters for around 100,000 children as outpatients. Around 25,000 children are admitted in a year and approximately 10 children require resuscitation every hour. Since 2013 the mortality rate has been reduced from 20% to 3%.
Operations in the new building will be enhanced too, as piped oxygen is on offer to curb preventable deaths.
The current addition has certainly lifted the face of the medical facility, which is the biggest referral hospital in the Southern region and Malawi.