Amref Health Africa in collaboration with the Ministry of Health has unveiled a $100 000 (about K175 million) Cholera Response Project for Chitipa and Karonga districts.
In an interview on Friday, Amref Health Africa-Malawi project officer Dan Nansongole said the project is supporting the ministry to reduce mortality rate and the spread of cholera in nine health facilities in Karonga.
He said: “The four-month intervention seeks to reduce cholera case fatality rate and prevent future outbreaks in alignment with the Malawi National Cholera Plan and the Health Sector Strategic Plan III.
“The initiative responds to the Ministry of Health’s appeal for increased partner support to build on past progress and tackle emerging health threats.”
Nansongole further said the initiative focuses on providing effective leadership and coordination in cholera prevention and control activities at local, district and national levels.
“We want to enhance surveillance system and ensure it is accurate, reliable, timely and useful,” he said.
Karonga district director of health services David Sibale described the project as timely.
“We are grateful for the project which will help us to respond to epidemics in the district. We will draw plans on how to implement the project through health promotion and awareness of outbreaks such as cholera,” he said.
Gift Mwenibanda, a resident of Kasoba Village in Traditional Authority Kyungu, urged Karonga District Council to intensify awareness campaigns about cholera.
Amref Africa is implementing the project with support from David and Lucile Packard Foundation through Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention
