Madonna opens a world-class hospital for children in Malawi

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Malawian President Prof. Peter Mutharika has called Madonna an adopted daughter of Malawi after the American celebrity opened a children’s Paediatric Surgery and Intensive Care Hospital wing yesterday in Blantyre City.

“You started by adopting four Malawian children and now we adopt you as a daughter of Malawi. You came to Malawi saw a need and provided care for the children. This facility is a national pride,” said President Mutharika according to local media reports.

Madonna named the hospital after her adopted Malawian daughter Mercy James. The songstress expressed her frustration when over the process of adoption, saying it took almost three years before the court allowed her to adopt Mercy; explaining that Malawi makes it very hard for single mother to adopt.

“I fought for Mercy and won. We fought for this hospital and won. Love conquers all,” said the 58-year-old celebrity.

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Madonna adopted Malawian children David Banda and Mercy James in 2006 and 2009 respectively and twins Esther and Stella Mwale earlier this year. She has two other children, Lourdes and Rocco, from previous relationships.

The ultra-modern Mercy James Centre for Paediatric Surgery and Intensive Care is located at Queen Elizabeth Central Hospital. The children’s wing has 56 beds, three theater rooms, Intensive care Unit, High Dependence Unit, 46 main wards, and a recovery ward. It is estimated that 700 surgeries will be conducted annually.

“We will ensure that not only will it be a world-class children’s hospital, but also a superior center of learning. This is as much about healing as it is about empowerment,” Madonna said at the hospital’s official opening.

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11-year-old Mercy James drew applause and ululation from the crowd after saying: “Many kids and many lives will be saved. Thank you mum, you’re the bomb.”

Malawi’s Health Minister Peter Kumpalume said the hospital will help save lives of newborns in a country where infant mortality is still one of the highest in the world, but steadily declining.

“For our part, we will fully support the facility, we are bringing in doctors and drugs,” Kumpalume told Reuters.

(Source: Reuters)

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