Ministry of Health ready to protect pupils in School feeding program from Cholera

 

pupils from Mafutsa Primary school receives porridge courtesy of School feeding Program-pic by Lisa Kadango Vintulla

Lilongwe, January 8, Mana: The Ministry of Health says it is prepared to contain any diarrhoea infection caused by water and food contamination, following the opening of schools across the country where school feeding program is being implemented.

Spokesperson in the Ministry Of Health, Joshua Malango said this during an interview with MANA on Monday in Lilongwe.

He said government is aware of how cholera could easily spread to school children as some parts of the country are experiencing the outbreak.

“We have intensified the prevention of cholera through campaign messages to all schools across the country and our health surveillance assistants are all over working where there is feeding program to ensure that hygiene is not compromised,” stressed Malango.

Malango said, “Teachers and guardians must ensure that pupils are using clean cups and plates when getting the porridge from schools under this program at all times.”

He said the major challenge in the fight against cholera outbreak in schools where the school feeding program is running is that children still use water from unprotected sources like rivers to wash their cups and plates.

“Government is appealing to school authorities as well as the community leaders surrounding the schools to take a big role to ensure that children served with porridge are well protected and use of treated water should be observed at all times,” he appealed.        

The Ministry of Health, with support from World Food Program started the school feeding program in 24 selected primary schools in 1994 and was extended to other schools in the three cities namely Blantyre, Lilongwe and Mzuzu.

The program reduces absenteeism caused by lack of food and that parents are encouraged to send their children to schools, which has resulted in high enrolment in schools benefiting from the program.

Speaking in an interview with a member for Mafutsa Primary School PTA, Lameck Tsumba in Dedza, said the school management is aware of the cholera outbreak and that prevention measures have been intensified.

“We have volunteers from Malawi Red Cross Society who help us to prepare the porridge for the pupils as well as making sure that the plates used are clean at all times,” said Tsumba.

Meanwhile, the Ministry of Health together with Ministry of Education are working hand in hand to spread messages in schools on the dangers of cholera which started in Karonga a month ago that has resulted into four deaths.

According to the Ministry of Health, current statistics indicate that Karonga has now recorded 155 cases, Lilongwe has recorded 18, Nkhata Bay 18, Salima 5, Dowa has registered two cases while Kasungu has recorded one case.

The mainstream media and 'fake news'

By Bryson Jumbe

Trump

APM

Bushiri

There have been reports of 'fake news' or false stories against prominent figures the world over.

Social media platforms have often been criticised for propagating such news, but the mainstream media has come under scrutiny too.

US President Donald Trump is one of the main critics of the mainstream media.

At one point Trump singled out media outlets such as CNN, ABC and NBC as 'fake news.'

The president points to among other things the economic resurgence his administration has achieved so far, but not given enough media attention.

Instead, he says the media is focused on the alleged Russia's involvement in the US election.

In his latest attack on "fake news media" Trump says he will award the 'most dishonest and corrupt media' this Monday (tomorrow).

Here at home, President Arthur Peter Mutharika (APM) has taken over three years of his presidency to loosen his perspective on the media, particularly the private.

APM has often accused the media of negative reporting, which is slightly off the mark of 'fake news.'

But the President was made to clarify on an alleged case of distorted reporting regarding zicheche (yams) and zitete (grasshoppers).

The president is said to have advised people [during the food crisis period last year] to eat 'zicheche' but some media houses quoted him as saying the latter.

Recently, the president had a rare one-on-one interview with Zodiak Broadcasting Corporation's Gospel Kazako.

It is, however, highly unlikely that he will extend such an opportunity to other private media houses.

Another high-profile person on the receiving end of 'fake news' is Prophet Shepherd Bushiri.

Late last year, a certain local media outlet carried a story alleging that Bushiri said he can end the country's power problems in 48 hours.

However, the video of the conference on which the said remark was made proved otherwise.

It is from this background that there have been calls for responsible reporting amongst media operators.

The media is bound by the duty to ethical journalism.

Resources crucial in strengthening democratic governance

By Brian Itai

Lilongwe, January 4, Mana: The strengthening of democratic governance, domestic accountability and access to justice especially for women, girls and other vulnerable groups like people with albinism are crucial for sustainable development.

EU Ambassador to Malawi, Marchel Gerrmann said this when the European Union handed over a donation of four 4x4 vehicles and eleven motorcycles procured with funding from the 11^th European Development Fund through the Chilungamo Programme to NICE Public Trust.

Gerrmann said as EU they value and continue to support NICE Public Trust owing to the role it plays in empowering citizens to demand transparency and accountability from duty bearers which is crucial for the promotion of domestic accountability.

NICE Public Trust has been accredited by the Malawi Electoral Commission to provide voter education to the electorate across the country ahead of the forthcoming tripartite elections in 2019.

The EU Ambassador said it was for this reason that they recognize that for NICE to accomplish all the tasks, the support of other development partners is crucially needed. 

“With a network of over 8 000 volunteers and a reach to millions of Malawians in all the districts, NICE is uniquely placed to impart knowledge on the voting procedures and more importantly empower citizens to claim and their rights,” he said.

Speaking when receiving the donation, Board Chair for NICE Public Trust, Susan Kaunda said as a Public Trust they value the financial, technical and material assistance they get from EU ever since NICE started as a project in 1999.

“This donation has come at the right time when we are busy empowering and mobilizing the public through civic education. It is no doubt that the vehicles and the motorcycles will ease the challenges we have in reaching to the grassroots,” said Kaunda.

She said the support from EU has given them more vigour, strength and zeal to work harder and better in fulfilling their mandate of contributing towards democracy and good governance through civic and voter education.

Cholera situation not yet epidemic, Minister

 

Minister of Health and Population Atupele Muluzi briefs members of the press on current cholera situation in Lilongwe-pic by Lisa Kadango Vintulla

By Brian Itai

Lilongwe, January 4, Mana: Minister of Health and Population Atupele Muluzi has said although the cholera situation is certainly worsening, it has not yet reached the stage where it can be regarded as an epidemic.

The Minister said this when he gave an update on the situation of cholera in the country on Thursday morning at the Ministry of Health at Capital Hill in Lilongwe, where he appealed for assistance from everyone to compliment his ministry’s efforts  in trying to contain the disease.

“Many in this country still are not applying basic measures of hygiene at home and this is contributing to the spread of the disease. I am asking for your support in spreading information about how we can all better look after ourselves at home, stopping the spread of the disease in its tracks,” said Muluzi.

He has assured Malawians that the Ministry of Health together with its partners is doing everything possible to contain the situation and that the people should not despair as the situation is under control.

The Minister said ever since the first case was reported and confirmed on 24^th November in Karonga at Iponga Health Centre, the Ministry of Health has been working hard with its development partners to control the situation.

“This has meant regular coordination meetings to include regular Health Cluster meetings as guided by the Department of Disaster Management Affairs.

“We have also put in place cholera prevention and control measures and activities to include ongoing health education by the Health Surveillance Assistants (HSAs) at the community level, and we are providing chlorine tablets to cleanse water for domestic use,” he said.

As of January 4, a total of 158 cholera cases have been reported in the country which has resulted in four deaths with Karonga registering the highest number of them at 138 including all the 4 fatalities. 

Nkhatabay has reported 16 cases, Dowa two and both Lilongwe and Kasungu have had a case each and out of all these cases, 146 have been treated and are now well at home, with only seven patients in the treatment camps.

Muluzi said the intention of his Ministry is to try and test and treat patients at source and this has been achieved through rapid deployment of tented clinics in affected areas. 

“You can tell by the statistics of the disease this year, we have been working hard to test then treat patients who have contracted the disease. Of course, we cannot be complacent and our Epidemiology Unit has increased its surveillance and testing of all diarrhoea diseases during this high threat period,” said Muluzi.

He revealed that with the help of the oral cholera vaccine, they have been able to treat high risk patients with 600 000 Malawians having received the vaccine since 2015 and now an order of 400 000 doses has been made to be offered to residents of Karonga, Nkhatabay and Mangochi.

BUSHIRI BACK IN THE COUNTRY THIS WEEK

By Bryson Jumbe

After hosting among others street kids, orphans, widows, and people with disabilities to a luncheon at the BICC last Friday, Prophet Shepherd Bushiri will be back again in the country this week.

This time around, Bushiri will offer civic education on business to the same less fortunate.

In addition, he will also provide them with capital for business start-ups.
Bushiri said he wants to see such people, often begging for alms, out of the streets completely.

In his Diplomatic Christmas Service, Bushiri said the festive season is time for giving.

He encouraged the congregants and viewers on Prophetic Channel to learn something from his gesture of giving.

During the service, Bushiri gave out various gifts to the congregants including anointing oil and decorders with WiFi.

As seen on the pictures, recipients of the gifts were overwhelmed with joy and disbelief.

The other pictures show Bushiri in the midst of the less fortunate during his previous visit in the country.

v

Economics as a Science: Generalisations & Predictions

By Bryson Jumbe

Illustration of rising cost of living

Economics is partly a science. Conclusions can be deduced from 'observed facts' on certain economic phenomena such as inflation.

Such 'observed facts' can be the basis for generalising current state of economy and predicting future economic trends.

Some of the 'observed facts' in 2017 for Malawi's economy include the 7.7 percent inflation and 16 percent Reserve Bank of Malawi (RBM) base or policy rate [at which commercial banks borrow from the central bank].

These are facts or data we cannot dispute.

Based on such health economic indicators, generalisations have been made on Malawi's state of economy, which is said to be on a rebound - stabilising and growing.

Likewise, predictions have been given on the expected rate of economic growth.

This is that part of generalisation and prediction. Generalisations can be wrong, and predictions are not realities.

Often, one's economic perspective on these is biased towards political allegiance: the ruling, opposition, and the 'centrists.'

We have heard politicians' views and expert opinions.

Generalisations and predictions can be disputed, but not the reality on the ground of the standard of living of people.

One of Government's principal aims, through its economic policies, is to improve the standard of living of the people.

In fact, this (standard of living) is the only economic language that most people understand when applied in a less technical way.

So, from the facts observed, what is the bearing on the standard of living of the people?