Doctors in the country have condemned attacks against health workers who are working on the frontline in the battle against the Coronavirus pandemic.
Society of Medical Doctors (SMD), Medical Association of Malawi, Medical Doctors Union of Malawi, and Women Doctors Association of Malawi held a press briefing in Lilongwe today where they expressed concern of cases of harassment and violence against health workers.
SMD’s President Dr. Victor Mithi said the attacks are endangering lives of health workers and affecting them psychologically.
He noted that there are negative perceptions towards health workers misinformation on Covid-19 and management of cases.
“Those with reservations on how a COVID-19 patient was managed should present their complaints to Medical Council of Malawi,” said Dr. Mithi.
He also dismissed rumours that health workers receive allowances for every Covid-19 death and that health workers extract vital organs from people who die of Coronavirus.
” Let me emphasize that staff working in Covid-19 units are receiving allowances for their work which is in line with their additional work conditions and associated risks,” he said.
The press briefing was held hours after health workers were attacked at Kayembe village under Senior Chief Dambe in Mchinji district.
On Monday evening, health workers went to the village to bury a person who died of Coronavirus. However, villagers claimed that the victim died of another disease.
The community members smashed the ambulance the health workers were using, forcing them to return with the body.
Malawi has recorded a total of 27,422 cases and 874 deaths. Among health care workers, 1,298 positive cases and nine deaths have been recorded since the start of the pandemic.
