Kuwait people non-governmental organisation (NGO) trading under the name Direct Aid Kuwait, has donated K80 million (US$194 174.8) worth of assorted cancer drugs to the Malawi Government.

Minister of Health Jean Kalilani received the drugs on behalf of government at a function that took place at Capital Hill on Wednesday.

Kalilani described the donation as a “relief to a constrained ministry, which is registering thousands of new cancer cases every year”.

“We record 20 000 new cancer cases every year, as such, this donation is timely. The quality of the drugs is very good as verified by the Central Medical Stores Trust [CMST],” said Kalilani.

She said, in the past, most cancer patients bought medicines from other countries, noting that the drugs are expensive, which makes those that depend on public hospitals lose out.

Direct Aid Kuwait director Kunsamala Adin said the donation resulted from a request made by President Peter Mutharika when he visited Kuwait recently.