Castel Malawi Limited has re-affirmed its commitment towards the fight against Cholera outbreak by donating items worth K20 million to the Ministry of Health to support the cause.
Some weeks ago, the company launched an in-house initiative against Cholera where among other things arranged for oral vaccination for the employees, apart from giving them hand sanitizers.
Speaking during the official handover ceremony in Blantyre on Tuesday, Castel Malawi’s human resource and corporate affairs director, Gloria Zimba said the intervention is a response to a call by government to the private sector to help out as numbers of cholera cases and deaths surge.
“We are targeting the worst hit health centres as we work hand in hand with the District Health Offices (DHOs) to donate to 20 health centres which they have identified across the country.
“As Castel Malawi we have our own policy on corporate social responsibility. We have six pillars and one of them is health and safety. So, on the health part, we are not only concerned about the health of our employees, but also our customers and stakeholders.”
“We had to partner with the Government because eventually we will get affected if the cases rise since some of our employees also reside in the communities with everybody. We have so far mounted billboards carrying the same message against Cholera,” she said.
Ministry of Health representative at the event, Blantyre DHO Chief Medical Officer, Dr Mirriam Jere-Nyasulu commended Castel Malawi for the timely donation.
“Castel Malawi has come at the right time when cases are on the rise even in rural areas. The Ministry of Health needs a lot of support and we believe this will go a long way in reducing the pressure on resources, especially for health centres in rural areas,” she said.
Some of the donated items include chlorine, ORS, drip stands, garden boots, sanitizer, and disposable syringes.
