By Burnett Munthali

Limbe Health Centre in Blantyre is facing a serious shortage of basic medical equipment, putting immense strain on its ability to deliver quality healthcare to thousands of patients.

The facility attends to an average of 600 patients per day, which adds up to nearly 10,000 patients every month.

Despite this overwhelming demand, the centre operates with only one working wheelchair, two blood pressure machines, and no weighing scale—a stark reflection of the systemic resource gaps facing primary health facilities in Malawi.

Shockingly, the facility also lacks stretchers, essential for transporting critically ill or immobile patients, further burdening both patients and medical personnel.

In response to this dire situation, Standard Bank plc has stepped in to offer critical support through a donation of medical equipment valued at K7 million.

The donation includes wheelchairs, stretchers, mattresses, blood pressure machines, and other essential medical supplies aimed at improving the quality of care and easing the daily challenges health workers face at the facility.

According to Ewen Hiwa, Standard Bank’s Head of Client Coverage, the initiative reflects the bank’s broader commitment to corporate social responsibility and sustainable development.

“We believe that Malawi’s growth depends on the wellbeing of its people,” said Hiwa.

He further explained that by supporting access to healthcare and improving infrastructure, Standard Bank is helping drive the goals of Malawi’s Vision 2063 and making strides toward achieving the UN Sustainable Development Goals.

Receiving the donation, Blantyre District Medical Officer Dr. Hawa Mtitimila expressed gratitude and underscored the ongoing needs of the health centre.

Dr. Mtitimila appealed for additional support, noting that the facility’s high patient volumes require sustained investment if it is to meet the community’s health demands effectively.

The intervention by Standard Bank serves as both a lifeline and a wake-up call, highlighting the urgent need for greater public and private sector collaboration to address health infrastructure gaps across Malawi.

As more corporate institutions take up their role in social investment, the hope is that no patient in Malawi should suffer or die simply because of lack of basic equipment.