Cholera resurgence worries health experts

Health experts and activists have expressed concern with the resurfacing of cholera cases in the country barely a month after the outbreak was pronounced no longer a threat.

Two cases have been recorded in Zomba and Karonga districts in the past week.

According to Zomba District Health Office (DHO) health promotion officer Arnold Mndalira, the case was recorded in Chikanda Township in Zomba City.

He said: “The results from the tests we had on the University of Malawi [Unima] student who was suspected of cholera at Chikanda Township have come out positive.

“We will now embark on a case area targeted intervention and intensification of health promotion behaviours, including washing hands with soap in critical times to contain the disease in the district.”

In Karonga, the director of health and social services David Sibale was quoted by Zodiak Broadcasting Services as having stated that the case was recorded following tests of samples collected from Mlare in Paramount Chief Kyungu’s area on September 19 2023.

The resurgence, according to Malawi Health Equity Network executive director George Jobe, is worrisome.

He said: “This should be a reminder to the country that cholera can still be back. At the same time, considering that soon we will be going into the rainy season, we would not want the situation to go worse again as most Malawians relaxed on hygiene.”

Jobe suggested that the country should enhance awareness on cholera and water and sanitation issues.

Health Rights Education Programme executive director Maziko Matemba said the resurfacing of cholera cases proves what health rights activists said against declaration that cholera was no longer a threat.

“We warned the government against the declaration. We told them to do more surveillance, vaccination and awareness campaigns on hygiene,” he said.

Matemba urged the Presidential Task Force on Covid 19 and Cholera to enhance cholera awareness campaigns.

On September 22 2023, the Ministry of Health conducted a cholera outbreak After Action Review (AAR) meeting in Lilongwe which presented an opportunity to share lessons, challenges and best practices demonstrated by the response for continued improvement of outbreak management.

The meeting was held in line with the World Health Organisation African guidelines on the aftermath of an outbreak.

In his remarks a member of the Emergency Medical Team from Queen Elizabeth Central Hospital, Limbani Mwapata, said the discourse dominating the AAR from all districts exposed a number of loopholes, including lack of a centrally placed contingency fund for any disease outbreak that can significantly support the government to address the outbreak whilst lobbying for support from partners.

In March, 2022 the first cholera case was recorded in Machinga. The outbreak spread to 29 districts, registering 4766 cases by November 2022.

In December 2022, President Lazarus Chakwera declared the cholera outbreak as a public health emergency after the disease claimed 1 768 lives with 58 981cumulative confirmed cases.

On August 16, 2023, the Ministry of Health cholera outbreak as no longer a public health emergency.