By Burnett Munthali
Mzuzu Central Hospital requires approximately 750 million kwacha to complete the construction of the first-ever psychiatric unit in the Northern Region, a project that is expected to alleviate the burden of transporting mental health patients to Zomba Mental Hospital. The psychiatric unit, once completed, will offer both outpatient and inpatient services, enabling the hospital to manage mental health cases locally.
Hospital Director General Dr. John Chipolombwe revealed that the hospital currently makes two to three trips weekly to Zomba Mental Hospital, a practice that incurs significant costs. “The transportation of patients is not only costly but also inconvenient for the patients and their families. With the new unit, we will be able to provide the necessary care here in Mzuzu,” Dr. Chipolombwe said.
The hospital spends 3.9 million kwacha each month on fuel alone for these trips, underscoring the financial strain of handling mental health cases under the current system. The new psychiatric unit will reduce these expenses and improve access to mental healthcare for people in the Northern Region.
During a donation ceremony, where 20 million kwacha was contributed towards the project, Taonga Manda, Chairman of the Old Mutual (Blantyre) Foundation, stressed the importance of collective action in improving healthcare. “Healthcare improvement cannot be left to the government alone. We all need to contribute to the development of essential services, such as mental health care,” Manda said.
The donation marks a step towards closing the funding gap, but Mzuzu Central Hospital continues to call on well-wishers and organizations to assist in raising the remaining funds to complete the psychiatric unit. Once operational, the facility is expected to play a critical role in addressing the rising mental health challenges in the region.
