MALAWI: Catholic Secretariat Staff Visit Hospital in Commemoration of World Day for the Sick
Some of the ECM staff members distributing items to patients at the hospital
Stella Zulu
Staff members at the Catholic Secretariat of the Episcopal Conference of Malawi (ECM) cheered the sick at Mtengowanthenga, a mission hospital in Dowa district on 15th of February as a way of showing unity and compassion with them.
The visit was part of commemoration of the World Day of the Sick which the Church observes on the 11th of February each year.
Speaking during the visit at the hospital, the ECM Secretary General, Rev Fr. Alfred Chaima said the Church cares for those suffering through sickness and the visit was a way of following the example of Jesus Christ who was close to the suffering, especially the sick through his healing ministry.
“The Church is supposed to carry on the mission of Jesus Christ who showed mercy and compassion to those who are weak and amongst them the sick. This is the reason the Church has so many hospitals. It is in the same spirit that we came here to demonstrate that we are close to people that are sick and all those who need our support,” said Fr. Chaima
The Secretary General also lamented lack of resources and equipment in public hospitals in the country due to plundering of public resources by some individuals, which he said is very unfortunate.
“Culturally, we are people that are meant to love and take care of one another, so it is regretful that such inhuman acts take place. These things are done by people who are educated and one would believe that education was supposed to make them very compassionate and considerate about people who are suffering. As human beings and as a nation, lets prioritize our resources and one area that needs great consideration is the health sector. People need to be in good health in order for them to participate in the development of the Church and the nation,” continued Fr Chaima.
He also thanked the healthy workers at the facility and all hospitals in the country for dedicating their lives to the vocation of taking care for the sick which he said is not an easy job.
Representing the hospital management, Mr. Yona Chisepeya who is the Head of Medical Services at Mtengowanthenga, appreciated the gesture by ECM staff which he said is timely especially at this difficult season of the year during which people mostly in rural communities lack food and other basic needs.
All patients who were hospitalized at the facility received food and non-food items including bathing and washing soap, 2 packets of Sugar each, salt, 2litres bottle of Squash, soya pieces and maize flour.
“We are grateful to ECM for what they have done today. The patients that we receive here are mostly from rural areas and so they lack a lot of basic needs. The things they have received from you will therefore help to make their stay at the hospital easier,” said Chisepeya.
He too lamented lack of enough financial resources at the facility to procure medication and pay medical personnel because the hospital charges less than the supplies and medication they give to patients. He therefore appealed to Government to consider putting most workers in Christian hospitals on its payroll so that the little resources generated by the hospital are used to procure medication than for salaries.
Scholastica Mwale, a guardian to a child patient who was at the hospital also thanked ECM for the support which she said will help her patient eat some food because the child was not accepting the food she was able to provide.
This year’s World Day of the Sick is commemorated under the theme Take Care of Him: Compassion as a Synodal Exercise of Healing.
