Public hospitals on cholera alert

With some parts of the country receiving heavy rains which have resulted in flooding, public hospitals in cholera-prone places say they are on high alert and are closely monitoring the situation for any possible outbreak.

Spot-checks in Mangochi, Lilongwe, Nkhotakota and Karonga districts show that health authorities have stepped up efforts to detect and treat the waterborne disease should there be an outbreak.

Mangochi District Hospital acting director of health and social services Henry Chibowa in an interview on Monday said they have increased awareness of the disease, adding they have in stock cholera supplies.

“We have set up a camp at the hospital as well as other areas which are prone to cholera. We are also sensitising communities to cholera prevention and how they can provide first aid to a suspected patient,” he said.

Last year, cholera claimed 30 lives after it ravaged some parts of the country for nearly six months. Lilongwe was the worst hit.

On her part, Nkhotakota District Hospital acting director of health and social services Wezzie Mumba said the facility has in stock cholera drugs procured from the Central Medical Stores Trust which have already been dispatched to all 10 public health centres.

She said: “We have in stock drugs for cholera, including chlorine, which have been distributed to all our health centres across the district.”

Nkhotakota has for over 12 years not recorded any cholera case. 

Ministry of Health spokesperson Joshua Malango said the ministry has so far not registered any cholera case.

He said: “We are monitoring the situation. The ministry has advised district hospitals to have in stock medical  supplies for any eventual outbreak.”

Meanwhile, Karonga District Hospital acting director of health and social services David Sibale has said there is need to vaccinate against the disease people who were left out during the first round in 2017.

Malawi conducted a first-round vaccination drive that immunised 108 000 people against cholera in Karonga. Up to 500 000 others were immunised in Lilongwe Urban with support from World Health Organisation.

The vaccines were dispatched from the global stockpile Oral Cholera Vaccine funded and purchased by Gavi, The Vaccine Alliance.