Urban population giving challenges in cholera fight
Ministry of Health is having challenges vaccinating the urban population against cholera, a development that is posing a threat to fight against the disease.
Speaking in an interview yesterday, Ministry of Health spokesperson Adrian Chikumbe, said the ministry has had challenges vaccinating the population in the urban set ups affected by cholera.
The ministry said it only managed to vaccinate 70 percent of the targeted 1.9 million.
inistry of Health is having challenges vaccinating the urban population against cholera, a development that is posing a threat to fight against the disease.
Speaking in an interview yesterday, Ministry of Health spokesperson Adrian Chikumbe, said the ministry has had challenges vaccinating the population in the urban set ups affected by cholera.
The ministry said it only managed to vaccinate 70 percent of the targeted 1.9 million.
Said Chikumbe: “In rural areas it is easy to mobilise people and get them vaccinated. It is not the same in urban areas where people do not comply with messages to get vaccinated.”
He added that congested urban areas also pose a challenge to cholera fight as people do not have enough space in their compounds to observe the required distance between water source and latrines.
“The water source is supposed to be not less than 30 metres away from the latrine. In rural areas it is easy to have that space. In urban areas you will sometimes find that someone will have a latrine five metres away from the neighbours water source,” said Chikumbe.
He urged people in affected areas to get vaccinated, saying if not for the vaccine, the impact of the disease would have been worse
Chikumbe also said most recorded cases involve people who went to Mozambique where there is an outbreak but the ministry is working in collaboration with authorities in Mozambique to fight the pandemic.
Malawi Health Equity Network executive director George Jobe called on the ministry to intensify sensitisation campaigns so that people get messages on cholera vaccine.
He said: “When you go to rural areas there is visibility for health surveillance assistants. They are more visible in rural areas and are doing commendable job. So, we need to do the same in urban areas.”
Health Rights Education Programme executive director Maziko Matemba called on government to put more resources towards prevention of cholera.
He said there is not much support toward prevention of cholera and other diseases.
“It is regrettable that we are still trying to contain cholera. Cholera is about hygiene. We need to promote hygiene at personal, household and community level,” said Matemba.
Currently, cholera cases are on the rise in the country and as of Saturday cumulative cases for the 2021-2022 cholera season reached 765.
The disease has claimed 36 lives.
Most affected districts are Blantyre, Mangochi, Mulanje, Nsanje, Chikwawa, Machinga, Balaka, Phalombe and Neno.
The ministry has administered the first dose to the affected districts except Neno where it plans to extend the vaccination.
Said Chikumbe: “In rural areas it is easy to mobilise people and get them vaccinated. It is not the same in urban areas where people do not comply with messages to get vaccinated.”
He added that congested urban areas also pose a challenge to cholera fight as people do not have enough space in their compounds to observe the required distance between water source and latrines.
“The water source is supposed to be not less than 30 metres away from the latrine. In rural areas it is easy to have that space. In urban areas you will sometimes find that someone will have a latrine five metres away from the neighbours water source,” said Chikumbe.
He urged people in affected areas to get vaccinated, saying if not for the vaccine, the impact of the disease would have been worse
Chikumbe also said most recorded cases involve people who went to Mozambique where there is an outbreak but the ministry is working in collaboration with authorities in Mozambique to fight the pandemic.
Malawi Health Equity Network executive director George Jobe called on the ministry to intensify sensitisation campaigns so that people get messages on cholera vaccine.
He said: “When you go to rural areas there is visibility for health surveillance assistants. They are more visible in rural areas and are doing commendable job. So, we need to do the same in urban areas.”
Health Rights Education Programme executive director Maziko Matemba called on government to put more resources towards prevention of cholera.
He said there is not much support toward prevention of cholera and other diseases.
“It is regrettable that we are still trying to contain cholera. Cholera is about hygiene. We need to promote hygiene at personal, household and community level,” said Matemba.
Currently, cholera cases are on the rise in the country and as of Saturday cumulative cases for the 2021-2022 cholera season reached 765.
The disease has claimed 36 lives.
Most affected districts are Blantyre, Mangochi, Mulanje, Nsanje, Chikwawa, Machinga, Balaka, Phalombe and Neno.
The ministry has administered the first dose to the affected districts except Neno where it plans to extend the vaccination.
