Malawi: Covid19 Situation Leads To Fresh Stringent Vaccination Drive

By Joseph Dumbula, Blantyre, Malawi.

Although Covid19 was synonymously declared no longer a matter of public health concern last year, Malawi is now facing a recent rise in new infections, a status that has seen government initiate a fresh vaccination drive.

In recent days, the utmost southern region district Nsanje which borders with Mozambique has been the epitome of new cases.

Earlier on, the district health office publicist told the media that there had been nearly twenty new cases which apparently involved some staff working in health facilities.

According to the ministry of health, the recent drive is aimed at dealing with feared new infections and as a means to address high levels of complacency in adhering to preventive measures as rates of vaccination are below 50 percent.

Government has also highlighted that the drive is being supported by the World Health Organization.

The campaign targets 10 of the country’s 29 health districts that have recently recorded new cases which include Machinga, which is district cutting across Lake Malawi in the eastern region, the commercial capital Blantyre, central region district of Dowa and Mzimba, in the north as well as Nsanje district.

The first three COVID-19 cases were confirmed on 2 April 2020 in the capital city Lilongwe.

Until now, there have been 2,686 deaths nationwide in a timeframe where there have been 89,274 confirmed cases.

In the overtime support, UNICEF has procured supplies valued at US$600,000, both from local market [worth $75,000] and from offshore/Supply Division [worth $425,000].

The supplies include medicines and equipment for treatment of 84,000 cases such as critical WASH supplies like buckets, soap, and chlorine.