Malawi Exclusive
Kidney Foundation leadership in Malawi has commended Malawi President Dr Lazarus Chakwera for transforming Kamuzu Central Dialysis Unit by buying new dialysis machines. 
Briefing journalists on Tuesday at Crossroads Hotel in Lilongwe, Foundation President, Frank Mwale said he was happy that all grievances on dialysis machines have been addressed.
Speaking during the presser which Presidential Advisor on NGOs Martha Kwataine, and another advisor Dorothy Ngoma attended in conjunction with National Advocacy Platform, Mwale said before this intervention, there has been increasingly poor services delivery due to poor and faulty dialysis machines at Kamuzu Central Hospital, the Kidney Foundation made a decision of bringing its membership and the entire patients, guardians, and Malawians of good will to the street and subsequently hold a vigil at State House on 18th January 2021, in order to seek the audience and intervention of the State president, His Excellency, Dr. Lazarus Chakwera on the situation of the Dialysis unit at KCH.
He said the good news is that Upon making this announcement, the foundation received a call from Madam Martha Kwataine who is the presidential advisor on Non-Governmental Organization who showed willingness to engage on a dialogue and indeed on17th January 2021, the meeting took place at Cross Roads Hotel.
Mwale said he gave a dialogue considering the fact that the intention was not just to conduct a vigil at State House.
“We gave way to dialogue, and to that effect, we held a joint presser where we informed the general public of the same.” He said.
Mwale took time to narrate challenges that kidney patients face in their every day life.
He said there has been ineffectiveness of the machines which were killing people one by one: The Dialysis machines at KCH became a known death trap that was taking innocent lives one by one, a situation that could have been avoided so easily should relevant government officials showed interest in providing amicable solutions on time, without engaging even the state president.
He said many times, the foundation engaged KCH Management, the Ministry of Health and also held a meeting once with the Parliamentary Committee on health and presented the challenges the unit was facing, but no solution was provided.
Updating the press on the current status of Dialysis unit Mwale commended tirelessly efforts of Presidential advisors namely Mrs. Martha Kwataine, Mrs. Dorothy Ngoma, and Mrs. Colleen Zamba, Dr. Samson Lembani and indeed with the Patriotic Hospital Director Dr. Jonathan Ngoma to make sure that the demands were met.
He said the good news now is that KCH has a New Renal Unit with the state of the art machines supplied by FRESENIUS.
“Let me make an appeal to agencies never to use procedures laid and protocols to punish lives through unnecessary delays and red tape. This has led to loss of lives that could have been served.” Mwale said.
The Kidney Foundation is a non-governmental organization that exists to advance the welfare of patients with kidney problems in Malawi. Many of its clients depend on dialysis to manage their conditions on their daily life. These services have largely been provided by the public central hospitals ie KCH and QECH.
In her remarks Martha Kwataine commended the foundation for waiting all this time til the promise is finally fulfilled.
Madam Kwataine said the President was not happy to see the patients failing to access medical health care.
Isha Mataka a kidney patient has since commended the country leadership for the unit.