Madonna and Malawi haven’t always had a harmonious relationship, but after several failed charity projects and controversies in the country where she has adopted four children, Madonna has finally found political goodwill with the opening of the Mercy James Centre For Pediatric Surgery and Intensive Care Clinic on July 11, 2017.

Madonna’s relationship with Malawi began when she adopted her son David Banda from the country in 2006 and daughter Mercy James in 2009. She also adopted twins Esther and Stella earlier this year. But Madonna wasn’t content merely growing her family; she wanted to give back to Malawi in a bigger way — hence, the Mercy James Centre, named after her 11-year-old daughter. Getting here, however, was a very bumpy road.

Malawi President Peter Mutharika officially adopted Madonna as the “daughter of Malawi” in appreciation of her “motherly heart.”

 The 45-bed facility, centrally located in the Queen Elizabeth Central Hospital (QECH) compound, is dedicated to children’s surgery and includes the country’s first pediatric intensive care unit. Mercy herself spoke at the opening ceremony on July 12, thanking her mother and all of the partners involved in the construction of the hospital. Malawi President Peter Mutharika also took the podium and officially adopted Madonna as the “daughter of Malawi” in appreciation of her “motherly heart.”
Malawi’s infant mortality rate is incredibly high (44.80 per 1,000 births, versus 5.8 per 1,000 in the United States) due to a lack of sophisticated equipment and medicine, not to mention the long distances families must travel to receive care. According to Madonna’s charity, Raising Malawi, the new facility will help the QECH double the number of surgeries performed on children each year, as well as provide preoperative and postoperative care. It is, in the words of pediatric surgeon Dr. Eric Borgstein, “a game changer for Malawi.”

Since its opening less than three weeks ago, the MJC has already treated 313 patients, and a remarkable 73 children have undergone successful operations, according to hospital director Venancio Kapalamula. He also reports that patients are traveling to the new facility from all over the country, and of the more than 300 treated, 238 were admitted into the hospital and 75 were treated as outpatients.

The pediatric hospital is even more remarkable when you consider Madonna’s previous charity projects in Malawi, which have been blighted with controversies, including a very public row with former President Joyce Banda and court battles with previous employees.

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