By Aliko Munde

Chitipa, December 11, mana:  Chitipa Lions Club through Mzuzu Lions Club have donated K19 million slit lamp machine to Chitipa District Hospital which helps to detect and diagnose eye diseases.

President for Chitipa Lions Club, Fidelis Kambalame, said that his club decided to donate the slit lamp to Chitipa District Hospital so that many people can be reached with eye health care services.

He said this on Tuesday during donation of the slit lamp to the health facility under Sightfirst project, which is funded by Lions Club International in conjunction with Latter Day Saints.

“We decided to donate the slit lamp to Chitipa District hospital so that it can reach out to many people as you have heard that Chitipa District hospital has struggled for several years without slit lamp equipment.

“The cost of the hospital sending patients to Mzuzu is high so we thought this would be one of the best Christmas gifts to people of Chitipa and Chitipa District hospital,” Kambalame said.

On his part, Chitipa District Medical Officer, Dr. Victor Matumbo, applauded Chitipa and Mzuzu Lions Clubs for the donation which he said will go a long way in reaching out to many people in Chitipa District.

Matumbo said as a district they have stayed for a number of years without the equipment and patients were referred to Mzuzu central hospital for all the functions requiring the services of the equipment.

“The coming of the equipment will do us good in terms of resource utilization. We should be able to save resources and direct them to other pertinent issues that affect health care services in Chitipa. This machine will also reduce the burden that our patients incur, traveling from Chitipa to Mzuzu which is almost 350 kilometers,” Matumbo explained.

Matumbo added that a surgical camp is taking place at the facility and common conditions that affect the eyes all are being operated.

He said that the surgical camp, targeting 60 patients, will run for five days.