Covid-19 affected families get psychosocial support
Churches Action in Relief and Development is providing psychosocial support to families affected by the Covid-19 pandemic in Machinga.
The organisation’s district senior project officer Grant Mzembe said this on Tuesday during a community engagement meeting in the district.
“We are training religious leaders and community-based health committee members to provide psychosocial support to families with Covid-19 cases,” he said.
Mzembe said the leaders will take messages of hope to the families and discourage stigmatisingpatients.
“The three-month initiative will alsointensify Covid-19 preventive messages through radio and public address system on mobile van,” he said.
On his part, Nsanama Area Development Committee chairperson Henderson Aubisaid people affected by the virus are facing stigmatisation and discrimination from community members.
“People returning from South Africa are being sidelined by the community even after undergoing Covid-19 screening,” he said.
Aubi urged community leaders to report anyone coming from outside the country to authorities.
“Let us give hope to those who test positive for the virus because people are recovering from the infection,” said Aubi.
The organisationis also implementing the project in Thyolo while Evangelical Lutheran Development is implementing it inNkhotakota and Chikwawa districts.
As of August 4 2020, the district has registered 60 Covid-19 cases with no death.
The organisation is implementing a K15 million Accelerating Preventive Measures to Covid-19 project in the country funded by Act Alliance under Global Rapid Response.
