As the rainy season which is well known for increased waterborne diseases is finally here, health authorities at Chiradzulu District Council say the council is working tirelessly to have zero cholera cases in the district.
Moses Ngwira who is the environmental health officer, coordinating Water, Sanitation and Hygiene at Chiradzulu District Council said this on Friday, 10 November, 2023 when World Vision Malawi donated to the council some Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) related supplies worth 11 million Kwacha.
While thanking the organization for the gesture which he described as timely, Ngwira said the WASH supplies from World Vision Malawi will complement the council’s efforts to reach out to communities in as far as sanitation and hygiene issues are concerned.
He continued by saying that the donation will as well boost the council’s plans of having zero cholera cases this year compared to last year’s over 1000 cases.
Ngwira noted that in October this year, the district recorded one cholera case.
“The donation will help us a lot. We had gaps in terms of chlorine and other WASH supplies, so these supplies we have been given by World Vision will help to fill the gaps that we had in other facilities where we did not give them enough chlorine powder and other supplies, it will keep us going for some few months.
“The definite plan is to have zero cholera cases, because just one cholera case it becomes an issue. These supplies will help us on water treatment. Last year we had about 1,450 cases which is very huge for the district but we managed to contain the cases until last October when we had on a single case,” said Ngwira.
He has since encouraged communities to use and drink water from safe sources including boreholes which he said the council together with some other developmental partners are drilling in most parts of the district.
“As a district, we lobbied for partners to be in the district and they are doing quite good. We have drilled a lot of boreholes and our partners are as well drilling other boreholes. So, people should avoid using water from unsafe sources. They should also make it a habit of using treated water. They have a role to play, we have a role to play,” he added.
According to Takondwa Mwale who is the Zone Associate Director for World Vision Operations in the South region, the donation is in response to Chiradzulu District Council’s request for help at the onset of the integrated ‘Tithetse Cholera’ campaign.
Mwale said their coming in is because they have a feeling that the campaign is in line with some of their projects in the district including Chiradzulu WASH for everyone project.
“As you are aware World Vision is a partner in Chiradzulu district, we are implementing a long-term program in Sub Traditional Authority Onga and we are also implementing Chiradzulu WASH for everyone project targeting institutions, communities and the schools. So, at the onset of the Tithetse cholera campaign launched by the president Likoma, the DC sat down and shared its partners in terms of the needs for this particular campaign.
“So as a project, we thought it wise to contribute something and that’s why today we are donating some supplies towards the campaign in Chiradzulu. In our program and as part and parcel of our strategy that is lying from 2021 to 2025, one of the prioritized sectors is WASH and this contribution is part of our program. So it’s indeed helping us to achieve some objectives related to our strategy around water and sanitation,” said Mwale.
He said among other supplies, the organization donated; Liquid Hand Washing Soap, HTH, Heavy duty PVC gloves, Heavy duty PVC aprons, ORS, Gumboots and Protex Tablet Soap all valued at 11 million kwacha.
In October this years during the commemoration of National Community Health Day which was held in Likoma Island, president Lazarus Chakwera launched Tithetse Cholera Campaign which seek to galvanize and upgrade efforts towards eradication of the cholera endemic in Malawi.
