Queen Elizabeth Central Hospital (QECH) says it will now be able to carry out some brain surgeries hitherto referred abroad following a Reserve Bank of Malawi (RBM) donation of a brain tumour removing machine.

QECH head of Neurosurgery Department Patrick Kamalo said in an interview on Friday one foreign referral brain surgery costs about K20 million and that the cost increases when accommodation, food, airticket and other logistics are factored in.

The equipment RBM donated

He said: “Most of the patients who need these surger ies in foreign hospitals cannot afford the treatment and in the end, if the tumour is left untreated, it leads to loss of eyesight and also death. On average, we register two cases who need these kind of surgeries [a month].

“However, the situation is about to change now following a donation of a brain tumor removing machine, also known as neuro endoscopy, to the facility.”

The K80 million RBM donation means patients from across the country will now be able to be operated on in time, thereby minimising the risk of blindness and in worst case scenario, death.

Said Kamalo: “So, with this donation, it means we will be treating these cases here because we have specialists for the job. All we need is support.”

On his part, QECH acting deputy hospital director responsible for clinical services Sheffy Mdala said neurosurgical problems are one of the common reasons why patients have been referred to India because of the surgical access to the brain required.

He said most of the patients referred do not have the privilege of a medical scheme and financial muscle to support themselves.

For one 76-year-old Molly Agness Phiri, a pensioner, having worked for RBM for 32 years, the story was different.

In 2018, she was diagnosed with a brain tumour, sitting on her optical nerve and she was advised to seek medical attention in India by Kamalo.

As a member of the RBM medical scheme, it was easy for her to travel, unlike many others who have no financial means.

Said Phiri:” Dr Kamalo advised me that if this tumour is not taken care of, I would go blind.

“I was recommended to go to India for treatment sponsored by RBM medical scheme, spent five days in hospital having my tumour removed via my nose and I came back home after 15 days.”

She said that if it were not for the procedure, she would be blind by now.

Phiri said she is thankful that RBM came in to assist, having received the request for the same from Kamalo.

“It’s a good thing that RBM has decided to help those who are not able to get assistance,” she says.

On her part, RBM corporate services executive director Mercy Kumbatira said as a central bank, they believe that a healthy nation is key to economic growth.

She said: “We believe that economic growth and social development go together. By investing in the health sector, we are laying a foundation for a brighter future.”

In 2018, the Government of India said Malawi could treat at least 40 percent of referral cases it sends to India if the country’s public hospitals had adequate medical equipment and specialist care.

Records show that there are 450 patients waiting for foreign referral, mostly to India, on the Malawi Government ticket for brain surgeries.

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