COVID-19: Health workers need be applauded

By Loness Gwazanga, MANA

Blantyre District Medical Officer (DMO), Dr Fatsani Zaziwe Gunda has said time has now come for health workers in the country to be applauded for their tireless work towards fighting COVID-19 pandemic.

This comes in the wake of an update done on May 9 by Minister of Health, Jappie Mhango, who announced that five health workers from Blantyre District Health Office (DHO) were among 13 new COVID-19 registered cases.

He told journalists on Wednesday that the fact that five health workers under Blantyre DHO tested positive to the pandemic really shows how they are putting their lives on the knife.

“Health workers are bracing themselves every day in order to serve the nation and to keep everyone safe,” he said.

“They know that they can get infected but still come to work to serve you, to serve the nation and to keep everyone safe. 

“Health workers do all the sacrifice to keep populations safe, so we in authority and you the served need to join efforts in supporting their well-being and safety and the safety of their families.” 

Gunda urged the public to stop discriminating them but rather be supportive and commend their sacrifice.

“In other countries, where people understand the value and sacrifice these brave men and women are taking, and what their families do go through daily, populations applaud and support them.

“The DHO is therefore appealing to the public to refrain from harassing health care workers in any form but rather encourage them to adhere to set infection prevention standards at all times and applaud them for their sacrifice,” he said.

As a way of ensuring safety, the office has embarked on a mass screening for its workers to make sure that there isn’t re-infection.

“This exercise started on May 7 with all health workers who have been screening travellers since January and all those who have worked for Kameza Isolation Centre. 

“We have so far screened 82 workers out of which five came out positive. Fortunately for us, the five are all in good health and we hope they remain and recover without symptoms.

Meanwhile, the Malawi Red Cross Society has intensified COVID-19 prevention awareness campaign along Nsanje’s unchartered routes, the Society’s Nsanje district coordinator, Patricia Gadi said this Wednesday during the campaign.

She said through the government subvention, her organization thought it wise to intensify awareness campaign along the border to ensure that communities should learn best practices in as far as COVID-19 prevention was concerned.

She said being unchartered route, more people could be accessing the two countries without being screened, hence putting their lives and that of their colleagues at risk of contracting the virus.

“Nsanje District borders Mozambique and people visit each other using unchartered routes,” Gadi said. This is challenge as it can bring the disease into the district. 

“We thought it wise that these people should be reached with different prevention messages.

“We were asking the people and the local leaders to be vigilant in making sure that when someone comes from foreign countries such as Mozambique, they should be able to report to the nearest health facility or call the toll free line so that health officials can visit the person.” 

Gadi said apart from providing awareness campaign along the borders, their volunteers are engaging the communities door to door to ensure that no one was left behind with the prevention messages.

Traditional Authority Ndamela, whose area of jurisdiction borders Mozambique, applauded the Society’s initiative, saying it would help his subjects to prevent contracting the virus.

“I am happy that Malawi Red Cross Society has managed to reach out to my subjects,” he said. “It’s not easy to prevent the virus if there are no clear messages targeting my people along the borders. 

“We must appreciate the good work done by the organization,” said the chief, whose district is yet to register any case.—Additional reporting by Martin Chiwanda, MANA