Government restructures Special Cabinet Committee on COVID-19

By Duncan Mlanjira

In his public address on Tuesday evening, President Peter Mutharika declared that the Special Cabinet Committee on COVID-19, which was set up on March 7, 2020, will from now on be called the Presidential Taskforce on Coronavirus. 

And this Taskforce will be co-chaired by a Cabinet Minister and a Professor in Public Health and will directly report to the President.

The President announced that the complete membership of the Taskforce will soon be announced by the Office of the President & Cabinet (OPC) that below it will be various technical committees which include various professionals and sectors from both the public and private sectors.

It also has professors and doctors from the University of Malawi who have accepted to sit on the Presidential Taskforce and also the Christian Health Association (CHAM) to represent health services in the private sector.

Also in the Taskforce is Lobin Lowe, Malawi Congress Party (MCP) Member of Parliament for Lilongwe Central — Leader of the Opposition in the august House — who the President said “has kindly accepted to be part of the Taskforce on behalf of Opposition parties”.

Other members are the Public Affairs Committee chairperson on behalf of faith organisations; a senior chief as delegates by the Chiefs Council to represent chiefs across the country and will also include more sectors from the civil society organisation (CSOs).

The Special Cabinet Committee on COVID-19 was effected before the President declared a state of disaster by President Peter Mutharika and was chaired by the Minister of Health Jappie Mhango.

It’s mandate included:

• Receiving updates on COVID-19 and ensure that the same is relayed to Malawians;

• To recommend proactive measures to prevent the occurrence and subsequent spread of corona virus in Malawi. At that moment Malawi had not have any registered case of COVID-19;

• To provide oversight for Cross-Government initiatives against the COVID- 19 threat; and

• To facilitate implementation of activities aimed at mitigating the impact of the disease on the social-economic development of the country.

However, Malawi Law Society (MLS) last week considered that any decision, initiative or action taken by the Special Cabinet Committee on COVID-19 after 20 March 2020 (technically from 3 April 2020) with regard to ‘Civil Protection’ on Coronavirus is without legal authority, or put differently, without any lawful excuse.

MLS, in its Legal Guidance Paper on Management of COVID-19 Disaster, contends that the Ministers in the special cabinet committee are not members of the Disaster Preparedness and Relief Committee of Malawi.

And until an amendment is made to the law several ministries are not on the membership of the Disaster Preparedness and Relief Committee  including the Ministries of: Industry and Trade; Education, Foreign Affairs, Defence, and Homeland Security.

“The only responsibility of the Special Cabinet Committee after 20 March 2020 is to advise the President with respect to Government policies on Coronavirus, or Covid-19 and such matters relating to it as the President may refer to the Special Cabinet Committee on COVID-19,” said the paper.

In his speech, President Mutharika reiterated his plea to all Malawians “for us to unite and fight Coronavirus. Together, let us save lives”.

He stressed by saying in Chichewa: “Coronavirus ndi matenda oopsya kwambiri. Tiyeni tonse tigwirizane, tigonjetse matenda a Coronavirus. Tiyeni tipulumutse miyoyo.

“This is a disease that is attacking people of all ages, all social economic statuses, all races and in all countries.

“Countries such as the United States of America, Russia, Germany, the United Kingdom, Italy, France, South Africa and many more are all under attack. Rich and poor nations are all struggling and suffering.”

He disclosed that as of Tuesday, over three million people have been confirmed to have been attacked with Coronavirus globally and more than 200,000 people have died. In Africa alone, over 300,000 people can die.

“Let me say this: the people who are dying are just like you and me. The World Health Organization estimates that Coronavirus could infect as many as 10 people in Africa.

“Here in Malawi, we are now 26 days since we diagnosed our first case on 2nd April. In less than a month, we have confirmed a total of 36 cases and we have 28 active cases because 5 people recovered and 3 people have died.

“Let me take my turn to thank our medical doctors, nurses and all healthcare workers for your sacrifice to protect us from Coronavirus — your country will forever be grateful to you.

“I want all of you to know that we appreciate the work you do in saving lives. We appreciate your sacrifices. It can only take the spirit of sacrifice, unity and hardwork for us to save lives.”

He added more emphasis that Coronavirus is real and is everywhere in every country, “anyone who denies the existence of Coronavirus must be sent to the mental hospital or to a lunatic asylum”.

He asked the nation to be serious and stop politicizing Coronavirus because denying its existence is taking a dangerous path that will lead to deaths of many Malawians. 

“Those politicians who send their people to be denying the existence of coronavirus want many Malawians to die,” he said. “I,therefore, appeal to all Malawians to stop listening to those that are politicizing Coronavirus fight in Malawi.

“Human life is sacred. Let us respect human life. And let us save lives. Let us fight Coronavirus as a common enemy.”

Since the President declared Coronavirus a National Disaster on 20th March, the government has implemented various measures to strengthen its preparedness and management, that included strengthening surveillance in all the border posts and increased the number of testing facilities to five in all regions of the country. 

“Our target is to open 15 testing centers in the next one month because we want to reach out to as many Malawians and save as many lives as we can.

“At the same time, we have now opened institutional isolation centers and treatment centers in Blantyre, Lilongwe and Mzuzu.

“So far, we have been treating patients with mild symptoms in their homes. But we will now start taking people to isolation and treatment centers. Our strategy is to trace, test and treat.”

Also yesterday, Football Association of Malawi (FAM) president Walter Nyamilandu announced that in its drive to continue taking a leading role in enforcing the COVID-19 guidance from Government within the football fraternity, it has offered the Ministry of Health to use Luwinga Technical Centre premises in Mzuzu as a quarantine centre for COVID-19.

“On top of that, the Association will collaborate with other partners on awareness campaign as well as resource mobilization to help in the fight against the COVID-19,” Nyamilandu said.

He made the declaration when he announced some measures taken whose top of the agenda was putting in place a special Relief Fund as an economic relief for elite players and officials who rely on football in the wake of the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.

Those to benefit are Super League club players and team officials, Women’s Football Regional League teams and the elite referees.

The monthly stipends to these beneficiaries will be of not less than the minimum wage as prescribed by Malawi Government.

The measures were decided at the emergency executive committee meeting that was held on Monday April 27 to review the FAM Task Force report on the impact of COVID-19 on Malawi football and recommended mitigation measures.

Meanwhile, President Mutharika said the Government is fortifying its institutional capacity to fight Coronavirus by recruiting new healthcare workers targeting to have 2,000 new ones reporting for duties in a week’s time. 

“These are mostly nurses and clinical officers and in addition, we are also going to recruit 1,500 health surveillance assistants. We want to intensify hygiene in our communities.

“We are also acquiring significant amounts of personal protective equipment (PPEs) for our healthcare workers.

“In short, we will do everything we can to fight this pandemic. Our strength is not in our resources. Our strength lies in our spirit of unity and resolve to fight.”

He added that much as Coronavirus is a public health and clinical problem, it is also an economic one as it is bringing economic uncertainty and potential suffering to many people. 

“Coronavirus is threatening our businesses and livelihoods. I know, and I understand that there are many Malawians who are not sure how we will pass through these difficult times.

“But I assure you we will pass through. I and the entire Government will do our part but you must also do your part. 

“Doctors and nurses are doing their part to save us. And everyone, including the courts, churches and everyone must do your part to save Malawi,” the President said.