Presidential Taskforce on Public Health Emergencies co-chairperson Dr Wilfred Chalamira Nkhoma has called on health sector stakeholders and points of entry officials to remain vigilant in light of the mpox outbreak reported in neighbouring countries.
He said this on Wednesday in Dedza when the task force, formerly Task force on Coronavirus and Cholera visited Dedza One Border Post to check mpox preparedness at the facility.
Chalamira Nkhoma expressed concern over reporting of cases in countries like Zimbabwe and Zambia.
He said: “Areas with high risk such as ports of entry, such as Dedza, require close monitoring.
“Considering that mpox is a zoonotic disease, it is crucial to evaluate our readiness from both human and animal health perspectives.”
He said the government has so far trained health workers, distributed standard operating procedures across all sectors, and implemented screening at all entry points to control the slippage of mpox into Malawi.
Director of Health Services for Dedza, Dr. Isaac Mbingwani said they have established the necessary structures for response and have conducted health talks on mpox to train staff in identifying potential cases.
Malawi has recorded 45 suspected cases of mpox of which all came out negative after laboratory tests.
Mpox was declared a Public Health Emergency of Continental Security by the Africa Centre for Disease Control on August 13 2024.
