By Kondwani Magombo, MANA
Concern Worldwide in Mangochi has donated K16.5 million to the district’s health office to help in the sensitisation of communities on COVID-19 and procurement of related consumables for the district hospital and health centres.
Mangochi District Hospital Chief Preventive Health Officer, Dr. Kondwani Mamba told the media on Wednesday that Concern Worldwide was among the first partners in the district who came forward to support the district’s COVID-19 response plan.
Akunsitu Kananji
“We got the financial support from Concern Worldwide in two chunks of more than MK8 million each and we have managed to reach out to the corners of the district with sensitisation and awareness,” explained Dr. Mamba.
Mangochi Concern Worldwide district programmes manager, Akunsitu Kananji said in an interview that they felt the need to assist the moment government declared the pandemic a disaster.
Kananji said her organisation had scaled down its development activities in its three impact areas in traditional authorities Makanjira, Katuli and Mponda, to concentrate on the fight against COVID-19.
Coronavirus alert
“We are also using our staff in the three TAs to reach out to the households to sensitise them on hand washing using the common tip-cup (Mponda giya) and soap considering that not everyone in rural areas can afford a bucket with a tap,” she said.
Other partners who have supported the DHO in the fight include the Icelandic International Development Agency, Blantyre Institute Community Ophthalmology, Baylor and Malawi Red Cross Society.
Meanwhile, the Mangochi DHO has conducted 11 COVID-19 tests, all of which came out negative.
Coronavirus alert
The DHO has been following up 64 people but 61 have since graduated from their incubation period of 14 days while three are yet to graduate this weekend.
In Nkhotakota, Nkhotakota District Medical Officer, Dr. Jacob Kafulafula on Tuesday presented a certificate to a patient who tested positive to the Coronavirus in the district, signifying that he had fully recovered.
Presenting the certificate, Kafulafula told the recovered patient and his contacts that were under self-quarantine in Chinombo Village in Traditional Authority Kanyenda in the district, that the granting of the certificate meant they had all recovered and were free to resume normal life.
Coronavirus Alert
“After carrying out two follow-up tests on you, I can confirm that you have recovered and have no Coronavirus,” Kafulafula said.
He explained that a number of factors determine whether a person should be under quarantine at a health facility or be isolated under self-quarantine.
“It’s not everybody who tests positive to Coronavirus that should be quarantined at a heath facility, only those whose condition is very critical are the ones to be taken to a hospital.
Coronavirus alert
“And currently, there is no specific drug for the disease. The prescriptions to COVID-19 patients are done only to treat the symptoms the patient presents.
“If he/she presents Malaria signs, we give malaria drugs, if its tuberculosis, we do likewise,” he said.
Kafulafula told the recovered patient that his case was mild as he was asymptomatic and therefore, needed to be under self-quarantine.
Donation from Anderson Engineering
In a bid to help fight the spread of Coronavirus, Anderson Engineering on Tuesday donated various items to Nkhotakota North Constituency at a function that took place in Traditional Authority Kanyenda.
Sales and Marketing Manager for Anderson Engineering, Innocent Kaunda said his company decided to make the donation as one way of giving back to the community.
“We do business with the people and therefore, it was imperative that we share the little we have with them,” he said.
Coronavirus alert
Kaunda said they decided to make a twofold donation after considering that Nkhotakota was facing two critical problems that came about because of the floods and the novel COVID-19.
“We have brought our donations in two fronts, one is on the calamities that were here in form of floods and therefore, we have brought a water purifier.
Coronavirus alert
“The other donation will help in the fight against the spread of the Coronavirus since this area [also] registered a case,” he said.
Member of Parliament (MP) for the area, Henry Chimunthu Banda, thanked Anderson Engineering for the donation, saying it would go a long way in preventing the spread of the Coronavirus.
The MP asked for further assistance from the company and other well-wishers, observing that there is an island area of Chauma which he said lacks basic preventive items for Coronavirus and other waterborne diseases.
Coronavirus alert
“This area has gone through unfortunate times this year. We have had two major problems: one has been the floods that affected the area during the rainy season.
“The other has been the Coronavirus pandemic. I am happy that after I approached the Managing Director of Anderson Engineering, Mr. Harold Jere, he responded positively,” Chimunthu Banda said.
In Karonga, AFIKEPO has donated K3 million to Karonga District Hospital for intensifying sensitisation messages on COVID-19 control.assistance.—Additional reporting by Stanley Nkhondoyachepa and Andrew Mkonda, MANA