Malawi Red Cross Society (MRCS) has rolled out a K28 million anti-cholera intervention package to prevent the outbreak of the disease which hit Salima District last year.
In an interview on Monday, the organisation’s district projects officer Manifoster Moyo said the package is meant for capacity building and provision of necessary drug supplies at Salima District Hospital.
Moyo said World Health Organisation (WHO) recommends prevention of such life-threatening outbreaks as compared to fighting them after they have stricken.
He said: “We have so far donated assorted medical supplies worth over K12 million, including chlorine to all cholera prone communities in Salima to improve safety of their drinking water.”
“We have also trained 284 community health assistants in basic emergency health interventions.”
In a separate interview, Salima district health officer Ivy Chilingulo thanked MRCS for championing community health interventions, including fighting Cholera.
She said the district is ready to handle cholera if it breaks out this year.
“Last year, we were taken by surprise, but this year we are preparing our communities for the outbreak in good time,” she said.
Despite being a lakeshore district, people in Salima depend on unprotected shallow wells or nearby rivers for drinking water due to the absence of safe sources. n
