HR0945 102ND GENERAL ASSEMBLY

HR0945 LRB102 29023 LAW 40925 r

HOUSE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois House of Representatives wish to congratulate Matron Mary Ann Malata on the occasion of her 80th birthday on October 17, 2022; and

WHEREAS, Matron Malata was born in Phalombe, Mulanje District, Malawi, East Africa on October 17, 1942; she finished her primary education in 1959 and then taught in primary schools from 1960 to 1961; she attended secondary school at Cambridge, England from 1964 to 1966; she took part in a general nursing program in Ireland from 1967 to 1970; she then took a midwifery course in the United Kingdom from 1971 to 1972; and

WHEREAS, Matron Malata returned to Malawi in 1973 and worked in several hospitals; she served as a district nursing officer at Mzimba District Hospital from 1982 to 1997, supervising hundreds of registered nurses and midwives, enrolled nurses and midwives, patient attendants, and hospital servants; she further continued her education, attending an intensive Family Planning Training in New York City, New York for three months in 1985; and

WHEREAS, Matron Malata supervised nursing at Mzimba District Hospital and in the surrounding health centres, actively visiting these health centres and rural hospitals to teach, encourage, and provide supplies while working to improve the health care of persons in the district; her work included midwifery, obstetric care, safe motherhood, exclusive breastfeeding, child spacing, and family planning; she trained traditional birth attendants, promoted under-fives outreach clinics for childhood immunizations, opened and staffed new health centres, and supervised psychiatric nursing, nursing for tuberculosis patients, and nursing for post-surgical care; she also educated others about HIV/AIDS, which included her working at the new Tovwirane Centre; she additionally worked with public health staff and village health committees to improve hygiene and other public health interventions; during her tenure, she was a key leader in moving 131 patients in four hours without incident from the old Mzimba District Hospital to the new Mzimba District Hospital on September 8, 1992; and

WHEREAS, Matron Malata was recognized for her leadership and nursing skills in the Mzimba District; for her many years of service, she was elevated to the title of matron in 1995; she retired from civil service to the Government of Malawi in 1997; and

WHEREAS, Matron Malata provided her skills to the non-governmental organization AFRICARE from 1999 to 2003, working towards the expansion of primary health care projects in Mzimba District; wanting to continue contributing to the health of people in the district, she worked at Mzimba District Hospital on a month to month basis from 2004 to 2014; and

WHEREAS, Matron Malata has been a dedicated member of St. Paul's Catholic Church in Mzimba for many years, participating in many church and spiritual activities; she is devoted to her family and her children; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE ONE HUNDRED SECOND GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we congratulate Matron Mary Ann Malata on celebrating her 80th birthday, and we recognize her for dedicating her life to serving others; and be it further

RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be presented to Matron Malata as an expression of our esteem and respect.