By Robert Kumwenda
Beit Cure International Hospital on Tuesday commemorated International Day of Persons with disability in Blantyre as one way of showing their solidarity to challenges persons with disabilities face.
Speaking during the commemoration Jarson Chaponda Community Based Coordinator for the hospital said they are a Christian hospital and believes that persons with disabilities are capable of doing anything that anyone can do.
Chaponda cited the example of the former Deputy Speaker of Parliament honorable Clement Chiwaya who rose up to the position of Second Deputy Speaker.
‘We thought it wise to join hands with persons with disabilities as they commemorate the International Day of Persons with Disability because we work with them and as a hospital we heal both physically and spiritually,” he said.
He said that it is sad because they are not given chance and support to go to school hence the reason why there are many disabled persons who beg in the streets.
Chaponda added that the commemoration has come at the right time because it is in line with what they do as a hospital saying that they must believe that there is God and they should not underrate themselves.
“We work in churches, mosques and with traditional leaders as well as organizations to raise awareness about what we do and to let people out there know that disability is inability because persons with disability are like anyone else,” he said.
Concurring with Chaponda, Ulemu Musasa who works as a nurse at the hospital said the work with children with various forms of disabilities hence the reason for joining hands with persons with disabilities in commemorating the International Day of Persons with Disability.
She said they intend to help as many children as possible with disabilities all over Malawi saying that they should also believe in God because it is fifty fifty medical and spiritual healing.
The Beit Cure International Hospital is a teaching hospital and the biggest orthopedic Research Centre in the Sub Saharan Africa.
Research is a key factor in the treatment and care they provide for patients, children under the age of eighteen are offered free services while adults pay.
