WATCH: 'Motherly' Madonna's hospital opens in Malawi

Published Jul 11, 2017

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Blantyre - Madonna was hailed as a

"symbol of a motherly spirit" by Malawi President Peter

Mutharika after the American singer opened a children's hospital

named after her adopted daughter Mercy James.

The Mercy James Institute for Paediatric Surgery and

Intensive Care located in Blantyre, Malawi's second-largest

city, is the first such facility built in the country by

Madonna's charity Raising Malawi.

"We will ensure that not only will it be a world-class

children's hospital, but also a superior centre of learning.

This is as much about healing as it is about empowerment,"

Madonna said at the hospital's official opening.

The singer 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.

Speaking at the event, 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."

The Day has Finally arrived and so have we! πŸŽ‰πŸŽ‰πŸŽ‰ Entering the Mercy. James Center! πŸ’•πŸŒˆMalawi's First Pediatric... https://t.co/cn5T29THHK pic.twitter.com/joXQsRMsd9

β€” Madonna (@Madonna) July 11, 2017

Madonna established the non-profit Raising Malawi charity in

2006 to provide health and education, particularly for girls.

The charity has built 10 schools in Malawi, according to its

website.

Madonna criticised Malawi's slow pace of law reform, saying

it nearly prevented her from adopting Mercy James.

"It was not an easy battle," said Madonna as her voice

cracked with emotion as she stood near her daughter.

"The judge refused me because I was recently divorced. We

hired lawyers, went to the Supreme Court. But I never gave up, I

never backed down," added the 58-year-old, who previously

stirred anger among some Malawians as they felt the government

allowed her to skirt laws that ban non-residents from adopting.

"I fought for Mercy and won. We fought for this hospital and

won. Love conquers all."

On our way to Blantyre!! πŸšŒπŸšŒπŸšŒπŸ–€To the Opening of Mercy James Center! πŸ‡²πŸ‡Όβ™₯οΈπŸ‡²πŸ‡Όβ™₯οΈπŸ‡²πŸ‡Όβ™₯οΈπŸ‡²πŸ‡Όβ™₯οΈπŸŒπŸŒπŸŒπŸŒπŸŽ‰πŸŽ‰πŸŽ‰πŸŽ‰πŸ™πŸ» @RaisingMalawi pic.twitter.com/dV0xyjrcRG

β€” Madonna (@Madonna) July 11, 2017

Madonna then danced to a local song with Malawi's first lady

Gertrude Mutharika.

Mutharika, who attended the hospital's launch, said "Madonna

is a symbol of a motherly spirit" and that the hospital was

Malawi's "national pride".

The 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.

Malawi's infant mortality rate declined to 42 deaths per

1,000 live births in 2016 from 135 deaths in 1992, government

data shows. 

Reuters

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