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Health volunteers hail Covid-19 field guides

Healthcare volunteers from Chikwawa, Neno, Mwanza and Machinga districts have hailed Covid-19 field guides for helping them reach many communities with correct information about the disease.

The field guides, developed by Save the Children in collaboration with the Ministry of Health, contain illustrations and simplified messages on Covid-19.

Speaking on Friday during a review of the second edition of the guides organised by Save the Children, a volunteer from Machinga District Grace Kandulo said the guides have simplified their job.

“The guides contain illustrations which easily communicate the message to community members, even those who cannot read the messages on the flip charts,” she said.

Kandulo also said people’s perception of Covid-19 is changing in her area.

“Through engagement, some people of Traditional Authority Mbanira are making informed decisions to get vaccinated against Covid-19,” she said.

Another volunteer, Patrick Makoni, from Mwanza District, said the guides contain updated information on Covid-19, which is crucial in the fight against the pandemic.

Senior health surveillance assistant Lackson Ngasale from Mbanira Health Centre in Mulanje said the guides have improved the approach of disseminating Covid-19 information.

“With the guides, people ask questions based on the illustrations and volunteers answer them using the guide,” he said.

Save the Children Breakthrough Action project manager Harrison Sikalamwa said they developed the first manual in 2021 to help volunteers share standardised Covid-19 messages.

“These guides contain updated information on Covid-19, including on booster vaccines. Through the guides, the volunteers have created demand for Covid-19 vaccination,” he said.

Ministry of Health deputy director of preventive health services responsible for community health Doreen Ali commended the volunteers for taking Covid-19 messages to remote areas.

“We want volunteers in other districts to start using the guides to improve the uptake of Covid-19 vaccines,” he said.

Save the Children is implementing a Breakthrough Action Project in Neno, Chikwawa, Mwanza and Machinga districts.

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