On Thursday 24 May 2012, the United Nations Development Programme will hand over assorted medical equipment to the intensive care unit of the Paediatric ward at Queen Elizabeth Central Hospital (QECH) in Blantyre. The equipment comprises 9 monitors, 3 ventilators, 10 infusion pumps and other critical equipment for the Paediatric/Children Ward and the Intensive Care Unit valued at about 14 Million Kwacha.

The equipment was donated by Sana Klinikum Lichtenberg Hospital in Berlin, Germany through a dedicated initiative by one of the UNDP-supported UNV Doctors, Dr. Solveigh Wiesener, who works at the Paediatric ward at QECH.

Dr. Wiesener, a German national shared with her friend who works in the Paediatric unit of the Sana Klinikum Lichetenberg Hospital in Berlin Germany the plight of Malawian children who get admitted at Queen Elizabeth Central Hospital’s intensive care unit. She told her friend that due to shortage of medical equipment, the children are not provided with adequate treatment. It was through her contact that the medical equipment was donated to QECH, so that Malawian children can receive quality care in the hospital.

UNDP organised and financed the transportation costs of the equipment to Malawi through its “Capacity Development in Health Sector” Project funded by the Global Fund to Fight Tuberculosis, HIV and Malaria. UNDP has been supporting Capacity Development in the Health sector since 2004.

The medical equipment will be handed over to the Queen Elizabeth Central Hospital by the UNDP Resident Representative, Mr Richard Dictus, at a ceremony to be held on Thursday 24th May, 2012.