MALAWI – Through the Office of the President & Cabinet of Malawi, the Presidential Taskforce on Coronavirus and Cholera is appealing to the public, private corporate companies and organizations for support in the fight against nationwide cholera outbreak
Malawi’s worst cholera outbreak in two decades has left up to 704 people dead after the disease spread to all districts of the southern African country with the authorities having suspended primary and secondary schools opening in two major cities following the outbreak.
The landlocked nation, prone to tropical storms and cyclones, has been battling a resurgence of the water-borne diarrheal disease since March 2022. The rainy season, which began in November, worsened the situation. Floods have led to the displacement of people, who often lack access to safe water and sanitation.
The Taskforce’s co-chairpersons, Khumbize Kandodo Chiponda (Minister of Health) and Dr Wilfred Chalamira Nkhoma, said the support can be in form of donations that are expected to cover various gaps currently being experienced in the prevention, control and management of the cases across the country.
They include medical supplies such as ringers lactate, giving sets, cholera beds, tents, examination and heavy duty gloves, gumboots, solar lamps.
Also for buckets with taps, aprons and soap, chlorine oral rehydration salts (ORS) and renovation/construction of sanitary facilities to support to schools to improve water and sanitation facilities as well as cash.
The cumulative cases since the onset in March, 2022 is at 21,024 while a total of 19,460 have recovered and 860 cases currently in treatment centres.
Meanwhile, international medical humanitarian organization, Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) says it is extending its help to the Ministry of Health for additional medical support against cholera in Blantyre District.
A statement on January 5, said since November 3, MSF has been supporting in Mangochi and Chiradzulu districts and has already treated almost 2,100 patients affected by the outbreak.
In Malawi, the occurrence of new cholera cases are mainly due to poor water sanitation and hygiene (unsafe water source, open defecation, low latrine usage (open defecation), poor food hygiene and contact with people sick with cholera.
The government has since diverted Malawi Covid-19 donor funds to employ more nurses and patient assistants to fight the cholera outbreak.
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