The Minister talking to the media during her surprise visit at Civo Stadium
* FAM was granted special exemption for the Flames’s AFCON qualifier against Uganda
* The Minister was impressed with the strict observance of COVID-19 guidelines at Civo Stadium
* She made an unofficial surprise visit to appraise herself how the guidelines are being administered
* As a law abiding corporate citizen, SULOM will continue to fully adhere to the COVID-19 regulations—Tiya Somba Banda
By Duncan Mlanjira
Minister of Health Khumbize Kandodo Chiponda issued a statement on Thursday stopping Super League of Malawi (SULOM) from going ahead to resume TNM super League games over the Easter.
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In her statement made in her capacity as co-chairperson of the presidential taskforce on COVID-19, Kandodo Chiponda alleged that SULOM’s decision to resume the league’s season “was made without prior approval of the taskforce nor any government ministry”.
She also reminded SULOM that President Lazarus Chakwera clearly outlined on March 28 that COVID-19 need to be observed over the Easter weekend and “may be released later when the epidemic indicators reached the set threshold [of 5% in positivity rate]”
“The Taskforce therefore wishes to advise SULOM that the special exemption granted to allow the Malawi national football team to prepare for and participate in the just ended qualifiers for the Africa Cup of Nations does not extend to other football games nor sporting activities,” she said.
Coronavirus alert
But she has now rescinded the decision to stop the resumption of the games that started on Good Friday and she told the media that FAM officially asked for the exemption to host Uganda because it was an international game.
She said FAM had indicated number of players to be involved and the number of people that were expected to offer essential services.
She further said they reminded SULOM that the number of 50 per gathering remained the same and could only be eased after Easter taking cognizance that when people relaxed in observance of the preventive restrictions during Christmas, there a nasty second wave from January 1 in which a lot of lives were lost than was the case from April to December.
“We really appreciate the challenges that the soccer fraternity is facing [due to its inactivity] and for all other sport disciplines have really suffered from the guidelines put in place.
TNM Super League
“Sports and football for that matter is not just playing for fun but it is a business to them, it is a job to them and that we really appreciate. That is why the President said after Easter we are going to review the guidelines because the number of positive case is getting lower as well as the positivity rate.
“Only two days ago [the positivity rate was about 3% and the President said if it gets lower that 5% throughout Easter then we will review the guidelines as we did in September.”
She disclosed that following SULOM’s decision to resume the games she decided to pay a visit to Civo Stadium [on Good Friday] just to check how they were carrying out their procedures in line with the COVID-19 guidelines.
SULOM president Tiya Somba Banda
“I must say I am impressed — everybody else here is wearing a mask and the number is less than 50. So I don’t have a problem — the thing is we have to gather not more that 50 and when we do we also observe all other measures that are in place.”
SULOM president Tiya Somba Banda said he sincerely thanks the Minister for her impromptu visit at Civo Stadium to appraise for herself how they were fully complying with the number 50 guideline.
“We are fully aware that the pandemic is still with us and SULOM — being a law abiding corporate citizen — we will continue to fully adhere to the laws of this country and more specific the COVID-19 regulations in the spirit of saving the beautiful game of football and the trade of so many Malawians from extinction.
“We also thank the supporters for listening to our plea and adhering to the regulations by not coming to the stadiums. They should continue following the games through TV, radios and by subscribing to 2020 for live scores and updates.”
Latest edition of Zampira magazine
In its latest edition of Zampira magazine, SULOM said they prepared for the resumption by testing players, referees, stewards and other essential Service officials involved in match organisation.
Somba Banda urged all stakeholders to safeguard the league by following government’s set COVID-19 precautionary measures at all match venues.
Zampira magazine quotes Football Players Association (FPA) general secretary Ernest Mangani as saying there are chances that the number of COVID-19 cases may rise going into winter and urged everyone one to be serious in observing the preventive guildelines.
“We should not take chances,” he is quoted as saying. “We will take appropriate measures and follow the protocols so that we flatten the curve if football is to continue being played.
“If we relax the numbers will shoot and we will be affected again if football is stopped. We will talk to our members to take this matter seriously.
“Actually, we will take part in civic education to encourage the members of the public to follow precautionary measures.”
Coronavirus alert
As of the past 24 hours of Friday, the number of new registered COVID-19 cases was 30 with 111 new recoveries and one new death from Mzimba North.
The positive cases out of the total translates to a positivity rate of 5.4%. Cumulatively, 30,490 cases have now recovered (recovery rate of 90.6%) while 134 were lost to follow-up — bringing the total number of active cases to 1,896.
Cumulatively, Malawi has recorded 33,639 cases since April last year that includes 1,119 deaths with case fatality rate at 3.33%.
Two cases were hospitalised; two were discharged bring the total of 27 active cases in admission — 11 in Lilongwe, nine in Blantyre, two in Salima, and one each in Zomba, Mangochi, Karonga, Thyolo and Mchinji Districts.
So far 154,801 doses of COVID-19 vaccines have been administered in the country with 9,822 being administered in the past 24 hours of Friday.
COVID-19 vaccine awareness
In her situation report, Kandodo Chiponda reminded the public that the current phase of the COVID-19 vaccination is still targeting the health workers and other social workers, those aged 60 years and above and those with underlying conditions such as hypertension and diabetes.
“The health workers are being prioritized to receive the vaccine because they are at high risk of getting the infection as they take care of the COVID-19 patients and suspected cases.
“It is important that all health workers should be vaccinated to ensure that they are protected while they are performing their duties. Apart from the frontline health workers, the first phase is also targeting other social workers, those that due to nature of their job, interact with a lot of people.
Coronavirus alert: Respect to health workers
“As you are aware that COVID-19 has been shown to affect elderly and people with pre-existing chronic condition more adversely. The vaccine will help protect these categories of people from COVID-19 or from becoming severely ill even if acquired.
“It is my appeal to those that have been prioritised in the first phase to utilize this opportunity and get vaccinated. Please take note that the COVID-19 vaccination services are available during this Easter holidays in all Government and CHAM facilities and it is free of charge.
“For Lilongwe residents, please take note that additional sites have been opened at Gateway mall and Game complex and these sites will remain open the entire Easter holiday.”
