The Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) has faulted the Tonse Alliance government for not closing learning institutions to protect students and staff following the rapid rise in Coronavirus cases.
In a statement on Sunday signed by DPP spokesperson Brown Mpinganjira, the party noted that there are reports of twenty-eight (28) lecturers who tested positive at Mzuzu University.
“The government is aware of that and yet they are not moving in to temporarily close learning institutions to protect our children and the teaching staff.
“We are however aware, that it is common commendable and acceptable practice that when several cases of the disease have been reported at an institution like the Church or the Bank, for example, that the institution temporarily closes to prevent further spreading of the disease,” the DPP said.
The opposition party, which was booted out of government in June last year, added that the Covid-19 situation in the country is getting out of hand as more and more people are being infected and more are dying.
According to the to the party, the authorities have not demonstrated the capacity, let alone the intent, to reach out and find all those that are infected and those that are dying of this pandemic.
The party also claimed that hospitals have ran out of testing materials and people are being asked to pay thirty-five thousand kwacha to be tested. The DPP accused government of failing to make available resources to fight the pandemic.
“Queen Elizabeth Central Hospital (QECH) in Blantyre, for example, is on the brink of being overwhelmed. The dedicated front-line soldiers at QECH and other health institutions need adequate facilities, equipment and motivation to cope with the ever-increasing numbers of those infected,” the party said,
The DPP also faulted government for failing to provide quarantine facilities and manage returnees coming from South Africa.
The party argued that returnees travel from South Africa in crowded buses yet upon arrival they are allowed to go home on to local public transport.
“This is wrong. We are not helping the returnees; we are not helping our country contain the pandemic,” the DPP said.
The DPP then urged the government to step up now and take practical lead in fighting this pandemic.
“Malawians need urgent action from their government to protect them from this pandemic. The government must be bold enough to take tough measures to fight this pandemic for the good of our people. How many more people must be infected and die before the government realises that Malawi is sitting on a Covid-19 bomb?” reads part of the statement.
