Red Cross intensifies cholera prevention
Malawi Red Cross Society (MRCS) has intensified efforts to prevent a possible cholera outbreak in 19 cholera-prone districts.
The organisation is targeting 50 000 households in hotspot areas of Karonga, Rumphi, Nkhata Bay, Nkhotakota, Salima, Balaka, Mangochi, Machinga, Zomba, Phalombe, Mulanje, Blantyre, Mwanza, Chikwawa, Nsanje, Lilongwe, Dedza, Ntcheu and Kasungu.
MRCS communications and humanitarian diplomacy manager Felix Washon said in an interview on Tuesday the organisation expects to increase awareness, knowledge and improved health-seeking practices on cholera prevention and response among vulnerable populations.
He said: “Currently, volunteers are disseminating cholera prevention messages after a successful orientation on cholera prevention by their respective district health offices. We have 50 volunteers from each of the 19 districts. Each volunteer is given a target of 15 households in a day for two days in a month.”
Washon said the objective of the exercise is to track knowledge, behaviours and practices of communities about cholera through a structured questionnaire.
Nkhata Bay schools’ health coordinator Andrews Chulu said teachers have since been oriented on cholera prevention and key cholera prevention messages in promoting desirable practices and behaviours for pupils in schools.
MRCS is implementing the project with funding from the United Nations Children’s Fund (Unicef).
