Inadequate quarantine places worries Chitipa DHO

By Madalitso Phiri, MEC Stringer

Chitipa District Hospital Office (DHO) has expressed fear of the pressure they might experience in the event that COVID-19 suspects begin to increase because the district lacks facilities to be created as isolation centres.

Speaking to the media on Tuesday, Chitipa DHO’s director of health and social services, Ted Bandawe revealed that some people are still operating their business with two neighboring countries, Zambia and Tanzania where the pandemic has not spared them despite restrictions.

“There are some people who are still sneaking out to neighboring countries at night who may eventually put us on pressure for a space at Council’s rest house which is already full,” worried Bandawe.

“We have quarantined six suspects at the Council’s rest house, which is really posing a threat to others who might come there. 

“We just had a stakeholders meeting on Monday and there are plans that the place should be a designated place for quarantine only.” 

Bandawe further revealed that samples for those who are now under quarantine have been taken to Mzuzu Central Hospital for testing and results wwere supposed to be ready after 48 hours from Tuesday.

Meanwhile, during his trip to the district on the same day, Minister of Heath, Jappie Mhango, who was then chairperson for special cabinet committee on COVID-19 that has just been restructured by President Peter Mutharika on Tuesday even, told the District Council to liaise with the district educational manager so that they should start using some schools as quarantine places.

“We engaged with the Ministry of Education to use the available facilities across the country [since learners are on forced holidays due to the Government’s restrictions] should the number of COVID-19 suspects increase,” he said.

The Minister also assured the police that they will be provided with motorbikes as one way of tightening security in unreachable places since some people are using unchartered roots to neighboring countries.

Since the pandemic was first recorded in the country, no case has been registered in Chitipa.

In Nsanje, Minister of Trade & Industry, Salim Bagus, who was also a member of the restructured Special Cabinet Committee on COVID-19, urged local councils and traditional leaders to enforce preventative measures put in place.

Bagus noted that if the measures provided by government through the Ministry of Health are not enforced, more Coronavirus cases would be registered.

“Traditional leaders and the councils need to enforce the preventive measures and the by-laws. 

“Enforcement will help in controlling the cases. Let me also ask the police to do the same by ensuring that preventive measures are adhered to,” said Bagus.

Nsanje and Chikwawa districts are prone to the COVID-19 due to porous borders with Mozambique, hence the need to be vigilant in as far as prevention of the pandemic is concerned. 

Bagus advised all stakeholders, including politicians, to avoid conflict of interests when it comes to adherence to measures put in place.

He, therefore, applauded Nsanje District Council together with its development partners for their effectiveness in as far as COVID-19 prevention and preparedness is concerned.

Nsanje District Commissioner, Douglas Moffat assured the minister that stakeholders in the district would strive to ensure that Coronavirus is contained.

“We are here to ensure that lives are saved,” Moffat said. “We are doing everything possible to ensure that the Coronavirus should not take us by surprise.—Additional reporting by Martin Chiwanda, MANA