NGO promotes hygiene, nutrition in Nsanje

Centre for Development Communications has urged people in Nsanje District to embrace personal hygiene to prevent cholera and leprosy.

In an interview yesterday, the organisation’s executive director Fred Yiwombe said they are also encouraging mothers to prepare nutritious meals for their children.

He said: “This is part of response to tropical storms Ana and Gombe which affected many people in the district.

“We want people to change their behaviour and practice personal hygiene to prevent the spread of waterborne diseases such as cholera.”

Yiwombe said the storms destroyed latrines in the district, thereby increasing the risk of people contracting waterborne diseases.

“Already, there is a cholera outbreak, as such, we want people to know that personal hygiene remains the best way to prevent the spread of the disease,” he said.

Nsanje District chief planning and development officer Smith Mnenula said the initiative came at the right time when the district has registered cholera cases.

“We want people to change their behaviour in the way they live to prevent the further spread of the disease,” he said.

The organisation is implementing a three-month project with funding from Unicef.