Ecobank Malawi donates K30m to JB’s safe motherhood

Ecobank has donated K30 million to Presidential Initiative on Safe Motherhood as part of the company’s corporate social responsibility to help construct a maternity wing at Lungwenya Health Centre in the area of Sub Traditional Authority Namavi in Mangochi.

State House Press Officer Brian Banda speaking in a telephone interview from Mangochi said Ecobank donated over K30 million Kwacha for the project.

President Joyce Banda on Saturday laid a foundation stone at the Lungwenya Health center where construction work for a maternity wing will begin.

President Banda said she is indebted to Ecobank for partnering with her administration in making sure that women have a safe place to deliver babies.

Ecobacnk's CEO presenting a dummy cheque to President Banda

Ecobacnk’s CEO presenting a symbolic cheque to President Banda

Ecobank’s Executive Director Charles Asiedu said his bank is sponsoring the construction of the maternity ward because it has received so much from the people of Africa.

Banda launched Presidential Initiative on Maternal Health and Safe Motherhood among other things the initiative is going to build shelters in 130 health centres across the nation where expectant women will wait for their delivery time.

The shelters are intended to reduce the problem of women delivering on their way to hospitals because they are far away from their homes.

Malawi has one of the highest maternal mortality rates in the world—standing at 675 deaths per 100 000 births whereas the birth rate stands at almost six children per mother. This shows a decline from 1 120 maternal deaths per 100 000 births and a birth rate of seven.