LILONGWE, Feb. 28 (Xinhua) -- The Malawian government is rolling out an integrated nationwide cholera and COVID-19 campaign in an effort to fight and prevent the spread of cholera as well as to allow the population to access the COVID-19 vaccine.
A statement, released Monday by Secretary for the Ministry of Local Government James Chiusiwa, said the campaign will run for 12 days, starting from March 2, 2023.
The campaign is part of the "Tithetse Kolera m'Malawi" (Let's End Cholera in Malawi) campaign, which President Lazarus Chakwera officially launched on Feb. 13 as the disease continues to claim lives and infect hundreds every day.
Ministries of health and local government will implement the campaign with funding from the United Nations Children's Fund and the World Health Organization, among other partners, according to the statement. The campaign will use parliamentarians, ward councilors, traditional chiefs, religious leaders, community leaders, and community health workers to mobilize the citizenry on water sanitation and hygiene, early detection of cholera disease, and preliminary remedies before seeking medical attention, among others.
Minister of Health Khumbize Kandodo Chiponda, also co-chair of the Presidential Task Force on COVID-19 and cholera, said recently that her ministry, with support from partners, will ensure that the cholera fight campaign is taken from door to door in the communities. Through the campaign, Oral Rehydration Salts and chlorine will also be distributed to households across the country, according to Chiponda.
"For us to reduce and stop the spread of cholera in our communities, we need to break the transmission cycle through infection prevention and control in the communities. The team is providing training to households on hand hygiene, and other infection prevention and control measures, such as safe handling of food and water," she said.
Chiponda added that her ministry and the Task Force will also use the campaign to administer the COVID-19 vaccine to the population.
Cholera has killed over 1,500 people in Malawi, as reported cases have reached 49,000 since the disease broke out in March 2022. Lilongwe, the capital of Malawi, has reported most of the cases (over 9,500) and most of the deaths (about 500) compared to other districts, according to the Task Force's update on the disease on Monday. ■