Recurring cholera out breaks haunt healthcare workers
Healthcare workers are racing against time to contain a new cholera outbreak reported in Chitipa and Machinga districts, marking it the third consecutive year of dry season cholera in the country.
The outbreak has since raised concerns over the government’s ability to address the underlying causes of this recurring trend.
Chitipa District Hospital spokesperson Masida Nyirongo said in an interview on Tuesday that 11 cases were confirmed as of Wednesday.
He said network glitches delayed updating of cases as of yesterday.
Nyirongo said all cases are from the Kapenda Health Centre catchment area, with the source still unknown.
However, he observed that the area’s proximity to the Songwe River, a local water source, and cross-border travel to Tanzania could be potential contributing factors.
Nyirongo warned that cholera cases, which typically peak during the rainy season, are now emerging earlier, potentially due to climate change, as such, require year-round readiness.
But Kamuzu University of Health Sciences professor and head of community and environmental health Adamson Muula suggests that the recurring outbreaks may be attributed to improved detection capabilities.
He emphasised that lack of access to clean water, with human waste contaminating water sources, remains a significant factor in the spread of cholera.
Muula said districts need to quickly institute water disinfection interventions and sustainable water resources in the short to medium term.
In a separate interview, Ministry of Health spokesperson Adrian Chikumbe also confirmed the cholera outbreak in Machinga District, but played down concerns about its occurrence during the dry season, stating that cholera can happen at any time.
He said the major factors associated with cholera outbreaks in communities are poor food hygiene, lack of safe water, and open defaecation.
Malawi recovered from a prolonged cholera outbreak that claimed 1 772 lives from 59 376 patients between March 2022 and August 2023.
