Save the Children donates K27 million cholera drugs

Save the Children has donated cholera drugs worth K27 million to Nsanje District Health Office.

Speaking after the donation on Saturday, Save the Children health and nutrition senior technical adviser Thokozani Bema said they discovered that 35 percent of patients in the district are children between five and 14 years.

“We have donated antibiotics, among others, in cholera treatment centers as you know we are concerned with the welfare of children,” he said. 

Nsanje district medical officer Waleke Khumalo thanked Save the Children for the donation.

“The district has registered 290 cholera cases. Out of them 90 are children, but currently we do not have patients in cholera treatment centres,” he said.

Khumalo said they have put in place preventive measures such as encouraging people to practise personal hygiene.

The country first registered a cholera case in March this year at Machinga District Hospital. Then Nsanje District also registered cases later in April.

In May, the Ministry of Health administered cholera vaccination in eight districts of the Southern Region.

Last month, Neno became the latest district to administer cholera vaccination.

As of yesterday, the country had registered 1 068 cumulative cholera cases with 44 deaths.