Chief bans sale of cooked foodstuffs amid cholera

Traditional Authority (T/A) Malanda of Nkhata Bay has restricted sale of cooked foodstuffs at Chintheche Market to contain the spread of cholera in the district.

The ban, which came into effect on Saturday, comes along with several ultimatums, including asking community members in fishing camps to construct pit latrines within a week.

In an interview on Saturday, Chief Malanda said he ordered his village heads to inspect fishing camps and households to monitor adherence to sanitation and hygienic practices. 

“Failure to adhere to these orders will invite penalties whose minimum is K10 000,” he said.

The chief urged his subjects to monitor visitors coming from cholera hot spots.

Chintheche Zone primary education adviser Peter Chirwa welcomed the chief’s ban on sale of foodstuffs and orders to construct toilets.

“With the knowledge that schools are some of the places the disease can easily spread due to congestion, our office will restrict selling of food within school premises,” he said.

Nkhata Bay District Hospital spokesperson Christopher Singini commended Chief Mlanda for engaging community members on the disease.

“If resources are available to reach out to many areas, including those without confirmed cases, we can contain the spread of the outbreak,” he said.

On Thursday, Minister of Health Khumbize Kandodo Chiponda, who visited Tukombo Health Centre in the district, assured that government will do everything possible to contain the situation.

The country first registered a cholera case at Machinga District Hospital in March. As of Sunday, the country had cumulatively registered 1 448 cholera cases and 57 deaths. 

Nkhata Bay first registered the outbreak on August 3 and so far, the district has cumulatively registered 330 cases with 10 deaths.

Meanwhile, Malawi Red Cross Society and Unicef are on the ground supporting the sensitisation campaigns.