By Martha Simchimba

Lilongwe; October 12, Mana: Catholic Health Commission (CHC) under Lilongwe Diocese has donated a vehicle worth K26 million to Lilongwe District Council to ease mobility towards the development of the district.

Receiving the vehicle on Friday, District Commissioner (DC) for Lilongwe Dr. Lawford Palani expressed his gratitude to CHC for the kind gesture saying the vehicle will go a long way in assisting the council to achieve its goals.

"We are thrilled that CHC has given the vehicle to the council after they have finished implementing their work in the district. This is what we want,” he said,

Palani has since asked other organization working in the district to emulate what CHC has done.

“As the council, we still have challenges with vehicles, and several sectors do not have vehicles to use for their day-to-day activities. So if we get such donations, it simplifies our work,” he said.

Palani then urged the officers to use the vehicle for the intended purpose and not abusing it for personal gains.

Director of Social Services at Lilongwe CHC Brian Odhiambo, said they are happy that they have successfully complemented government efforts of taking care children living with HIV and children born from parents living with HIV.

Odhiambo said through their project called Orphans and Vulnerable Children (OVC) they have been able to provide good care, protection and ensure the well-being of the children by providing necessary supplements to the children.

“We have been encouraging parents and guardians whose children are on antiretroviral therapy (ART) to continue taking care of their children by among over things sending them to school like any other children,” he said.

Principal Social Welfare Officer for Lilongwe Derick Mwenda expressed satisfaction with the project’s goals which he said will go a long way in saving many lives of the children living with HIV.

Mwenda then disclosed that government through Government Lead HIV Sensitive Child Protection Case Management will continue with the initiative so that children living with HIV should continue being taken care of.

Orphans and Vulnerable Children (OVC) project was a 5-year project that was implemented with direct funding from PEPFAR through USAID.

The project started in August 2019 and ended in August 2024 and was being implemented in high HIV burden sites targeting 22 health facilities in 13 Traditional Authorities in Lilongwe.

The health facilities include Khongoni, St. Gabriel, Chileka, Nthondo, Chitedze, Likuni, Chinsapo, Malingunde, Mlale, Mitundu, Nathenje, Mtenthera, Nkhoma, Kang’oma, Kawale, Bwaila, Area 18, Dzenza, Area 25, Daeyang, Lilongwe Airbase and Lumbadzi.