By Lisa Kadango Malango in New York
New York, Mana: Malawian professionals living in USA have expressed their willingness to assist the country with medical equipment to ease the pressure in some hospitals..
This was said when the US based Diaspora consist of medical doctors and social scientists had an interaction with President, Dr Lazarus Chakwera in New York on Saturday.
Speaking at the round table discussion with the Malawi leader, Prof. Edward Mbewe of University of Loyola living in Chicago said time was now to join hands with government and develop Malawi
“Let’s collaborate and take part in what is happening back home considering that the Global Village is in crisis and Malawi is heavily affected with the effects of the pandemics,” he said.
Prof Mbewe added that, “As professionals living in USA, we cannot just watch and wait for the government alone to provide us with our basic needs, let’s be resourceful and come up with solutions to deal with challenges Malawi is currently facing.”
He called on government to assist in making sure that the equipment reaches out to the remotest area to help the people on the grassroots level.
Mbewe added that the USA Diaspora secured some medical equipment worth millions of US$ and was just lying idle ready to be shipped to Malawi waiting for proper channels.
He revealed that they are working hand in hand with government through the Ministry of Health to ship the equipment back home and finding more opportunities to help Malawi in all areas of development.
Mbewe said that the network would continue to assist in the education, health as well as in the energy sector particularly in renewable energies.
He cited new technologies on how to cook beans within 15 minutes saying wouldl help the locals to desist from cutting down the trees reckless.
Mbewe pointed out that the professionals are willing to connect with specialist from USA to come to Malawi Hospitals and interacts with Malawi specialist and collaborate on how best they could work together to assist Malawians at large.
President Chakwera said was impressed with the USA Diaspora professionals initiative to establish a network that would change people’s lives back home.
He said that sending home the medical equipment was great and timely as the health sector is facing a lot of challenges with lack of delivery services.
“This gives me a hand up that we can do better; we are settled to wait for someone to do things for us? We have to embark on vision and give people a life line,” Chakwera said.
He said by the year 2063, Malawi’s vision would be self reliant and industrious saying the human capital development was something that cannot happen in a day.
The Malawi leader called for collaboration and coordination between the USA Diaspora professionals and the government to make sure that Malawi was served.
Principal Secretary for Health, Dr Charles Mwansambo said government would work closely with the USA Diaspora professionals to ensure that the medical equipment reaches the area of need to ease the challenges the health sector faces.
