Volunteers drilled in Covid-19 prevention

Amref Health Africa has trained about 40 community health volunteers from Traditional Authority (T/A) Lulanga in Mangochi in Covid-19 prevention.

The organisation has also oriented the volunteers on the Oxford/AstraZeneca vaccine.

The training comes amid laxity in adherence to Covid-19 preventive measures and discrimination against positive cases of the pandemic in the district.

Speaking on Wednesday during the training, Amref Health Africa acting monitoring, evaluation and communication officer Thom Salamba said they wanted health volunteers to have the right information on the Covid-19 vaccine.

“We also want them to dispel people’s fears on the vaccine,” he said.

Salamba said the training also included topics on maternal health and nutrition.

On his part, Mangochi District Hospital assistant environmental health officer Henry Banda said he expected the volunteers to change people’s minds on the pandemic.

“It is worrisome that some people still live in denial in as far as the Covid-19 pandemic is concerned,” he said.

One of the volunteers, Amineti Juma pledged to intensify Covid-19 preventive measures among people.

“I will also give people the right information on the vaccine for them to make informed decisions,” he said.

Amref is implementing a Covid-19 Response Project with financial support from Global Affairs Canada Initiatives in the district.