Blessings Tambala

Minister of Health Khumbize Kandodo Chiponda has called for greater collaboration between the Government of Malawi and the private sector in improving water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) services in public health facilities in Malawi.

Chiponda made the call when she opened a learning event on WASH in health facilities at the Bingu International Convention Centre in Lilongwe on Tuesday.

The minister stated that WASH is not only a prerequisite to health, but contributes to livelihoods, school attendance and dignity and helps to create resilient communities living in health environments.

“Providing quality care, healthcare facilities need to have a safe and accessible water supply; clean and safe sanitation facilities; hand hygiene facilities at points of care and at toilets; and appropriate waste disposal systems. My ministry recognises that infrastructure that supports WASH and healthcare waste management practices helps prevent the spread of diseases within the healthcare facility and to the surrounding community,” said Chiponda.

The minister further stated that WASH infrastructure and services are also essential to allow healthcare workers to perform appropriate infection prevention and control practices and WASH services.

Chiponda said both healthcare workers and patients need access to hand hygiene supplies to reduce the risk of spreading infections through unwashed hands.

“Without appropriate WASH infrastructure and services, patients, healthcare workers, and communities are at increased risk of disease, My ministry notes with great concern that every year, millions of people die from diseases caused by inadequate water supply, sanitation, and hygiene. Other than pneumonia, diarrhea is the main cause of death in children under age 5 globally and here in Malawi,” said Chiponda.

The minister disclosed that government, through the Ministry of Health with support from partners, has put in place strategies to improve WASH in health care facilities as a means of enhancing Infection Prevention and control / WASH services.

Evidence suggests that improving service levels towards safely managed drinking-water or sanitation services can dramatically improve health by reducing morbidity-caused diseases such as diarrhoeal diseases including cholera.

She therefore thanked WaterAid Malawi for the support given to Malawi Government with the construction of WASH Infrastructure such as latrines, incinerators, and reticulated water systems using submersible pumps installed in boreholes.

WaterAid Malawi Interim Country Director Peter Phiri assured the minister of his organization’s commitment to complementing government efforts in improving WASH services in public healthcare facilities in Malawi.

The Minister of Health Khumbize Kandodo Chiponda has commended National Initiative for Civic Education (NICE) for taking an active role in raising awareness and promoting water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) services at the grassroots level.

Speaking in Lilongwe when she opened a two-day learning event on WASH in health facilities, Chiponda observed that NICE is working closely with other organizations in improving sanitation by creating demand for sanitation services and promoting good sanitation behaviors.

“I didn’t know that NICE is also involved in water issues. I was thinking that NICE would only come out to provide civic and voter education in 2025,” jokingly said the minister.

Chiponda assured NICE of her ministry’s commitment to working with the organization to raise more awareness on WASH services in all the corners of the country.

NICE District Programme Officer for Zomba, Kondwani Newa, said using its rights-based approaches to water and sanitation as well as maternal health service delivery, the organization has been promoting the aspect of governance in the water sector.

Newa said NICE believes that service delivery can only improve through good governance.

“NICE is building the capacities of citizens on the demand side of governance to be able to identify vulnerabilities and claim their rights. At the same time, we are building the capacity of the duty-bearers on the supply side of governance to be responsive,” he narrated.

Malawi Health Equity Network (MHEN) has recommended that the Ministry of Health should channel funds allocated for the procurement of new ambulances towards maintaining the grounded ones.

But MHEN Executive Director George Jobe argued that the country has enough ambulances to service Malawians in all corners of the country.

In the 2024-2025 National Budget, the Ministry of Finance and Economic Affairs has allocated MK1 billion towards the procurement of ambulances.

But speaking at an interface meeting with selected parliamentary committees on Monday evening, Jobe observed that maintaining the grounded ambulances would help to save money.

“There are a lot of ambulances lying idle that need maintenance. Why can’t the MK1 billion allocated funds be used to maintain those ambulances?” he asked.

Jobe was presenting an analysis of the health sector budget, which the network did in partnership with Oxfam, Family Planning Association of Malawi (FPAM), SAT Malawi, SRHR Alliance.

Key findings of the analysis include an observation that Malawi’s health sector is highly donor-dependent, with on average public health financing accounting for 23.9 percent, private 17.5 percent and donor, 58.6 percent of total health expenditure.

The analysis also established that vaccine procurement is largely dependent on donors.

“In the 2024/25 financial year, MK700 million has been allocated for procurement of family planning commodities which is a 23 percent increase from MK570 million.  The allocation may not meet the FP needs with the growing population,” said Jobe.

But Jobe commended the government for increasing the allocation to the health sector to 12.2 percent, saying this is the first time the sector has received such an allocation.

Chairperson of the Budget and Finance Committee of Parliament, Gladys Ganda, assured the CSOs that members of Parliament (MPs) would make changes to the allocation to ensure that the MK1 billion goes towards maintenance of the ambulances currently lying idle in public health facilities across the country.

The Catholic Development Commission in Malawi (CADECOM) has commended President Dr. Lazarus McCarthy Chakwera for declaring a State of Disaster, stressing that this is crucial in mobilizing financial and material resources for aiding households affected by natural disasters.

CADECOM – or Caritas Malawi – is a social and development arm of the Episcopal Conference of Malawi (ECM), an association of the Catholic bishops in Malawi.

On Saturday last week, President Chakwera declared a State of Disaster in 23 districts affected by El Nino conditions. The declaration followed a special taskforce report, which the President received following the wave of disaster which hit the country since this year’s rain season.

“It is on the basis of this report that I stand before you tonight, the powers conferred upon me Section 37(1) of the Disaster Risk Management Act (2023), to declare a State of Disaster in 23 out of Malawi’s 28 districts affected El Nino conditions,” said Chakwera.

The declaration came after a series of tours President Chakwera conducted in various districts over the past 12 months to get firsthand information on how Malawians are faring against what he termed as ‘the harsh blows of climate change’.

CADECOM National Coordinator Chimwemwe Sakunda hailed Chakwera and welcomed the declaration, saying it will open doors for the development partners and non-governmental organizations (NGOs) to collaborate with the Government of Malawi in providing relief support to the hunger-stricken families.

“As CADECOM, we commend the President for the declaration because the situation is indeed dire on the ground. We work with the communities and we appreciate the gravity of food insecurity and it’s good that the President has declared the state of disaster. This will help in mobilization of resources from partners, which will help reach out to people in most need,” she said.

CADECOM is currently responding to food insecurity by disbursing cash transfers to poor families. The programme is being supported by the Scottish Government through the Scottish Catholic International Aid Fund (SCIAF).

But Sakunda said the number of people they are reaching is minimal; hence, the need for them to mobilize more resources.

“So, with this declaration of State of Disaster by President Chakwera, we hope to mobilize more funding. Of course, for the districts like Mzimba, which has not been declared as in disaster, there are still pockets where there is a dire need for support and we call upon partners to still consider supporting those affected in these districts also. Further, in as much as the call is for food is quite key, partners should also consider providing livelihood initiatives for alternative sources of income,” she said.

Former president Dr. Joyce Banda and human rights activist Undule Mwakasungula also saluted Chakwera for taking a bold step by declaring a State of Disaster.

Banda and Mwakasungula criticized those against the declaration, arguing it is normal in any country in distress to make such a declaration in order to mobilize internal and external support towards addressing a crisis.

The Women’s Coalition Against Cancer (WOCACA) has commended efforts by the National Cancer Centre to eliminate colorectal cancer amidst shortage of human resources and equipment at the facility.

Speaking at the Blue Hat Bow Tie Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month event held at the National Cancer Centre in Lilongwe on Monday, WOCACA Executive Director Maud Mwakasungula observed that the facility is working hard to deal with colorectal cancer, which has become another emerging public health concern in Malawi.

But Mwakasungula appealed to the Government of Malawi and its stakeholders to invest more in cancer screening infrastructure and programs, enabling early diagnosis and better treatment outcomes.

She said the rising cases of colorectal cancer incidence is a clear evidence that the country needs to increase awareness, early detection, and effective management strategies.

“Our barrier is mostly due to late diagnoses, limited screening programs, insufficient healthcare facilities to access mostly in rural areas, and pervasive lack of awareness,” said Mwakasungula.

The month of March is recognized globally as Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month, and WOCACA, in collaboration with Global Colon Cancer Association (GCCA), have been amplifying efforts in educating, advocating, and build awareness on the burden of Colorectal Cancer (CRC), a leading health concern not only globally but also in Africa, and including Malawi.

Mwakasungula said colorectal cancer stands as a challenge in public health, claiming its place as the third most common type of cancer worldwide.

“In Africa, the situation mirrors the global emergency, with CRC now ranking as the fourth most common cancer. In 2019, Africa saw approximately 58,000 new cases and around 49,000 deaths due to CRC. These figures not only highlight the growing burden but also the critical need for effective prevention, screening, and treatment interventions, especially in regions where resources are scarce,” she said.

A clinician at the National Cancer Centre, Barbara Basikolo, said the facility registers three to four colorectal cancer cases every Monday.

Basikolo highlighted lifestyle-related factors such as diets high in processed meats and low in fruits and vegetables, sedentary lifestyles, obesity, smoking, and excessive alcohol consumption as some of the factors driving the spread of colorectal cancer.

“Malawi needs to have adequate human resource and equipment to conduct regular screening, especially for those over 50 years old, which is crucial for early detection and prevention,” said the clinician, adding that understanding and addressing risk factors for CRC is key in curbing its prevalence.

Meanwhile, Mwakasungula has reiterated her organization’s commitment to fighting cancer by advocating for effective prevention, early detection, and treatment strategies.

Malawi President Dr. Lazarus McCarthy Chakwera has declared a State of Disaster in 23 districts affected by El Nino conditions effectively opening doors for the development partners and non-governmental organizations (NGOs) to provide relief support to the survivors.

The declaration follows a series of tours President Chakwera conducted in various districts over the past 12 months to get firsthand information on how Malawians are faring against what he termed as ‘the harsh blows of climate change’.

“One clear message I have heard from Malawians in all three regions of our country is that even though Government has distributed a lot of food to reduce food insecurity, there is still a significant number of Malawians who do not have enough food,” said the President in his national address monitored on the Malawi Broadcasting Corporation (MBC) on Saturday evening.

He said the declaration is effective 23^rd March 2024 and applies to the following districts: Nsanje, Chikwawa, Blantyre, Thyolo, Mulanje, Phalombe, Chiradzulu, Zomba, Machinga, Mangochi, Balaka, Mwanza, Neno, Lilongwe, Mchinji, Ntcheu, Salima, Dowa, Dedza, Ntchisi, Kasungu, Nkhotakota, and Karonga.

President Chakwera said his recent visits to Nkhotakota allowed him to assess the level of devastation as well as understand the most pressing need for the farming households affected by the climatic shocks.

He said food was the most pressing need in the displacement camps he visited.

“As an immediate relief, I ordered the Department of Disaster Management Affairs (DoDMA) to provide emergency food items to those camps, but the people there had already told me that the food insecurity extends beyond the camps. So to establish just how many places in Malawi were experiencing dry spells and how many. Malawians are in need of relief, I directed the Ministry of Agriculture to work with other agencies, including the Department of Climate Change and Meteorological Services, the United Nations, DoDMA, and District Councils in evaluating the full extent and impact of El Nino conditions on our country and to give me a report,” he narrated.

President Chakwera stated that it is on the basis of the report that, using powers conferred upon him by Section 37(1) of the Disaster Risk Management Act (2023), he decided to declare a State of Disaster in 23 out of Malawi’s 28 districts affected by El Nino conditions.

He lamented that apart from the late and erratic onset of rains, the 23 districts experienced inadequate rains, floods, and prolonged dry spells, which have severely damaged crops and the prospects of food production.

The State President said a preliminary assessment shows that nearly two million farming households have been affected, with 749, 113 hectares of maize largely affected, representing 44.3 percent of the national crop area.

Other important crops like rice, soya beans, cowpeas, and groundnuts have also been affected, as the full report from the Malawi Vulnerability Assessment Committee (MVAC) will show when it comes out.

“This is devastating. It would have been devastating enough if this was the first disaster to befall us in recent times. But unfortunately, in the four years that I have been your President, this is the fourth time I have had to declare a State of Disaster. As you will recall, following the disasters of 2022 and 2023, I ordered the distribution of food assistance to food insecure households, as well as the intensification of irrigation farming under the Greenbelt Initiative and the Mega Farm Programme. The irrigation strategy alone has been targeting 54,720 hectares that require 46.97 billion kwacha to cover seeds, fertilizers, pesticides, agricultural infrastructure, and solar pumps. But before these measures have had a chance to take hold and yield fruit, we find ourselves here, hit by another disaster,” said Chakwera.

The President therefore called upon Malawians of goodwill, both here in Malawi as well as those living abroad, development partners, the international community, all relevant United Nations Agencies, the World Bank, non-governmental organizations, the local private sector, members of Parliament, and all those who have any resources in cash or kind to spare, to avail those resources as donations to the Presidential Initiative to Stop Hunger.

According to Chakawera, the initiative will be coordinated by his office through the Department of Disaster Management Affairs.

“Our initial estimate is that close to 600,000 metric tonnes of maize valued at 357.6 billion Kwacha will be required for this humanitarian response programme. Donations in cash or in kind should be sent to the Commissioner for Disaster Management Affairs, P/Bag 336, Lilongwe 3. Fellow Malawians, there is no one in this country who is at fault for any of the disasters that keep coming against us. But if we stand united and put away the politics of pettiness and negativity to confront this latest disaster, there is no one in this country who should die because of hunger. So let us once again show the world the greatness we are capable of as a people when we stand together as one nation,” he appealed.

Heads of State and Governments under the Southern African Development Community (SADC) have reaffirmed their unwavering commitment to providing both diplomatic and military support to Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) to enable the country find lasting solutions to the violent conflict in Eastern DRC.

The leaders also pledged to intensify its public diplomacy on the role and successes of the SADC Peace Support Missions, including the SAMIM and SAMIDRC, to avoid negative external narratives that may compromise the success of the SADC Peace Support Missions.

The SADC Heads of State and Government made their pledge at the end of the Extraordinary SADC Summit, which took place in Lusaka, Zambia, on Saturday.

Malawi leader, President Dr Lazarus McCarthy Chakwera, attended the summit, which discussed a number of issues affecting the region, including security and defense.

Zambian President Hakainde Hichilema opened the summit in his capacity as the Chairperson of the SADC Organ on Politics, Defence and Security Cooperation.

The summit reiterated the regional commitment expressed in the SADC Mutual Defence Pact that,“an armed attack against one shall be deemed a threat to regional peace and security”.

It commended Member States for demonstrating the spirit of collective regional solidarity through their continued contribution and support to SAMIM and SAMIDRC.

“Summit reiterated its support to the political and diplomatic processes namely, the Luanda Process, led by His Excellency João Manuel Gonçalves Lourenço, President of the Republic of Angola and the African Union Champion for Peace and

Reconciliation in Africa, and the Nairobi Process, led by His Excellency Uhuru Kenyatta, former President of the Republic of Kenya. Summit expressed gratitude to the African Union Commission and the United

Nations Security Council for the solidarity and support towards the SAMIDRC, which is a SADC regional response complementing other on-going diplomatic and political

processes in support of the Government of the DRC,” reads a communique in part.

But the summit disapproved of the contents of the correspondence from the Republic of Rwanda to the United Nations and African Union Commission concerning support to SAMIDRC.

Instead, it reiterated that the deployment of SAMIDRC is to restore the peace and security of the DRC and that it is aligned to the SADC Treaty, the SADC Protocol on Politics, Defence and Security Co-operation and the SADC Mutual Defence Pact.

Speaking before his departure at Kamuzu International Airport, President Chakwera emphasized on the significance of the Extraordinary SADC Summit in bolstering cooperation among Southern African nations. 

He said the summit will help in addressing pressing regional issues, particularly in the realm of security.

“In attending this summit, Malawi seeks to strengthen ties with our neighbouring countries and collectively address the security challenges facing our region,” Chakwera said.

Furthermore, the Malawi leader outlined his agenda for the summit, citing food security as a top priority for Malawi. 

He pledged to advocate for comprehensive strategies to combat food insecurity and promote agricultural development in the region.