Health Minister Kandodo Chiponda (centre) receiving the donation from Dlamini
* Scabies spreading in some parts of the country
* International health experts also provided to deal with the problem of scabies
* ICT equipment to help achieve universal health coverage
By Salomy Kandidziwa, MANA
World Health Organisation (WHO) Country Representative, Dr Nonhlanhla Rosemary Dlamini has urged Malawians to follow good hygiene practices, saying it is a sure way of preventing scabies.
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Dlamini made the appeal Friday in Lilongwe when she handed over medicine for scabies (Mphele) management and ITC equipment for storing data, which WHO had donated to the Ministry of Health.
The organisation also provided international health experts who will help in dealing with the problem of scabies.
Dlamini said the organisation noted how scabies was spreading in some parts of the country and lack of data-storing equipment in the Ministry of Health.
The donated equipment includes laptops, external hard drives, MiFi’s, servers and medicine for treatment of scabies.
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“The donation is important as it will help in data management and the health sector to be able to trace progress [of interventions] through the data stored, which is key to getting accurate results,” Dlamini said.
She further said the donation was prompted by data loss that occurred last year which she said affected the operations of the Ministry of Health, hence WHO stepping in to donate the equipment.
Minister of Health, Khumbize Kandodo Chiponda said the gesture has come at the time the ministry was mobilising ways of improving health operations, saying there was a gap in the health sector regarding storage of data and treatment of scabies.
“There is an outbreak of scabies in some parts of Lilongwe and Kasungu, so the donation will help to manage the spread of this disease,” Chiponda said.
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She added the donated ICT equipment will help achieve universal health coverage and improve operations, thereby strengthening the health sector.
The ICT equipment will help in decision making by the Ministry of Health as it will be easy to go through the data stored and also help health officials to attend virtual meetings on COVID-19 and other issues.
The medicines have already been distributed to various district health offices to reach different hospitals, according to Chiponda.
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