AFRICA/MALAWI - Carmelites in support of Covid-19 patients from the diocese of Zomba

Wednesday, 8 July 2020 coronavirus   healthcare   orders   solidarity  

Zomba (Agenzia Fides) - The hospital of the Pirimiti community of the diocese of Zomba has received three oxygen concentrators to equip the isolation ward for Covid-19 patients which was specifically created to deal with the pandemic. According to a note sent to Agenzia Fides, the donation was made by Obra Maxima, the missionary non-governmental organization of the Order of Discalced Carmelites (OCD) based in Spain, with the aim of improving the provision of quality health services.
"As a hospital, we have an isolation ward, but to date we had no equipment. These machines can support up to 15 patients who may need oxygen", said Sister Mary Njuguna, a nurse in charge of the hospital, thanking the Discalced Carmelites for the donation.
The Bishop of the diocese of Zomba, Mgr. George Desmond Tambala, member of the Carmelite Order, thanked the diocese for the donation "which came at a time when hospital in Pirimiti needed medical equipment, especially those that can help prevent and fight the Covid-19 pandemic".
To strengthen the fight against Covid, the diocese joined forces to create a diocesan task force. As of June 29, 2020, statistics according to the Public Health Institute of Malawi (PHIM) point out 1,224 confirmed cases of COVID-19, 260 recoveries and 14 deaths.
Currently, there are five health centers in the diocese of Zomba and a community hospital, that of Pirimiti, which has received the machinery.
The activity of the hospital began as a simple dispensary, in the 1950s, by the will of some Montfortian Missionary Sisters. It develops on an arid and dry territory where malnutrition in the 94 villages that gravitate around it is dramatic, with a population of about 50,000 inhabitants. The Discalced Carmelites have been in Malawi since 1966, when the first religious from the province of Navarra (Spain) arrived. (AP) (Agenzia Fides, 8/7/2020)


Share: