The Ministry of Health and Sanitation has confirmed two cases of cholera in Lilongwe and Balaka districts, prompting renewed concern from public health experts about the country’s preparedness as the rainy season begins.
The Ministry said laboratory tests conducted by the National Public Health Reference Laboratory in Lilongwe confirmed the cases, involving a 5-year-old boy from Area 24 in Lilongwe and a 42-year-old man from Traditional Authority Kalembo in Balaka.
Both patients reported to health facilities earlier this month and are receiving treatment, according to the ministry.
In a statement, the ministry assured the public that health facilities across the country have adequate supplies and logistics to manage cholera cases and urged Malawians to seek immediate medical attention if they experience symptoms such as severe watery diarrhea, vomiting and dehydration.
Meanwhile, health experts have welcomed the government’s early confirmation of the cases but cautioned that the development highlights longstanding weaknesses in water, sanitation and hygiene systems, particularly during the rainy season.
Health expert Maziko Matemba commended the Ministry of Health for promptly announcing the cases, saying transparency helps communities and local leaders remain vigilant and prevent further spread.
“Cholera is preventable, but it is also deadly. By confirming the cases early, it allows people, district planners and leaders to take action and strengthen prevention before the situation worsens,” said Matemba.
Matemba noted that while the government often prepares for the rainy season by pre-positioning supplies and raising public awareness, structural challenges persist.
He said unsafe water sources, poorly constructed sanitation facilities and inconsistent hygiene practices increase the risk of contamination when heavy rains wash waste into water systems.
“The question is how we ensure communities consistently practice hygienic ways of living, not only when cases are reported,” he said.
The Malawi Health Equity Network has also expressed concern, warning that even a small number of cases can escalate rapidly if preventive measures are not sustained.
“As the Malawi Health Equity Network, we are concerned by the confirmation of cholera cases, especially at the start of the rainy season. Experience shows that cholera outbreaks can spread very quickly, particularly during this period,” said George Jobe, the network’s executive director.
Jobe said recurring outbreaks point to persistent gaps in access to safe water, sanitation and waste management, especially in high-density urban settlements and flood-prone rural areas.
He added that poor urban planning in cities such as Blantyre and Lilongwe continues to exacerbate sanitation challenges.
“We remain overly focused on emergency response rather than sustained prevention. Investment in water, sanitation and hygiene infrastructure, enforcement of sanitation regulations and coordination across sectors all need to be strengthened,” said Jobe.
Jobe emphasized that preventing cholera requires a multi-sectoral approach involving not only the health sector, but also local councils and agencies responsible for water, environment and urban development.
He called for intensified public awareness campaigns and timely provision of chlorine in communities without reliable access to safe water, urging Malawians to avoid using untreated rain or river water and to seek care immediately if symptoms appear.
The Ministry of Health and Sanitation has advised the public to drink safe water, wash hands thoroughly with soap, use toilets properly and avoid open defecation as the country enters the peak of the rainy season.
Malawi experienced a major cholera outbreak in 2022/23, underscoring the importance of early detection and sustained prevention to avert loss of life from a disease health experts stress is entirely preventable.