By Tione Andsen

Lilongwe, June 22, Mana: Malawi is set to commemorate International Day Against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking with calls for an evidence-based approach that prioritizes awareness, prevention and treatment.

National Coordinator for United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), Maxwell Matewere disclosed this to Malawi News Agency (Mana) Saturday in Lilongwe the day will be commemorated on June 26, 2024 from 1:30 pm at Kamuzu College Health Sciences in Blantyre

He said the event would bring together key stakeholders such as students, media, public, Ministry of Homeland Security, Ministry of Health, National Aids Commission, UNODC and Crime and other stakeholders to a public lecture

Matewere added that the public lecture would be hosted and organised in partnership with Kamuzu University of Health Sciences in Blantyre and aims at raising awareness, advocating for investment, facilitating dialogue and collaboration, promoting evidence-based policymaking and empowering youth.” 

The Coordinator pointed out that, “Together, let us amplify our efforts to combat the global drug problem, guided by the principles of science, compassion, and solidarity. Through collective action and a commitment to evidence-based solutions, we can create a world where individuals are empowered to lead healthy and fulfilling lives,”

He believes that if strategically harnessed, the youth could help the country achieve its ambitious developmental aspiration by 2063.

Matewere observed that harmful drug use and trafficking are becoming serious problems in the country, particularly among the Youth.

“Malawi plans to adopt a Drug Control Policy that will provide guidance in mainstreaming drug control in the national development process and provide direction for the efforts on demand and supply reduction, prevention, enforcement, rehabilitation, and treatment measures resulting in a society that is free from drugs of abuse and promote responsible drug use,” he explained  

Matewere said that this year’s campaign recognizes that effective drug policies must be rooted in science, research, full respect for human rights, compassion, and a deep understanding of the social, economic and health implications of drug use.

A Youth resident from Mtandile in Lilongwe, Adrian Mussa said most youths are being exposed to cheap alcohols which are harmful to their heath.

He said the country need to develop a tangible mechanism in order to address the current situation. 

The Global drug problem presents a multifaceted challenge that touches the lives of millions worldwide.

The Country plan to roll out Drug Harm Reduction Programme first by utilizing the Inter-American Drug Abuse Control Commission (CICAD) Demand Reduction Programme. 

CICAD's core mission is to enhance the human and institutional capacities of its member states to reduce the production, trafficking, and use of illegal drugs, and to address the health, social and criminal consequences of the drug trade.

By Beni Bamusi

Thyolo, June 22, Mana: 102 students on Friday graduated with certificates after completing courses in Hotel Catering Management, Tailoring and Fashion Designing and Electrical Installation at Vision for Development Youth Organization (VIDYO) in Thyolo District.

The graduation ceremony took place at Game Haven Lodge in the district where guest of honour, Senior Chief Bvumbwe urged the graduates to ensure discipline and hard work as they venture into various industries if they are to be successful in their fields.

“As graduates, the journey has just begun as you venture into various industries. You are supposed to be diligent and hardworking wherever you go. I wish you well as you venture into the industry to play a part in developing Malawi,” he said.

Senior Chief Bvumbwe also encouraged the graduates to start their own businesses rather than waiting for someone to employ them.

“Do not wait for someone to employ you, Start small-scale businesses. I appeal to parents to provide you with startup capital as you cannot raise capital in the shortest period," he said.

VIDYO, Director, Charles Bokosi said the graduates will be independent as they have been equipped with various skills to build their capacity to stand on their own for a living.

“Be innovative, do not wait for vacancies but rather start opening restaurants and tailoring shops for a start,” he said.

Louisa Phinifolo, who graduated with certificate in Hotel Catering Management said she was grateful for the course and was looking forward to open her own business in catering.

By George Bulombola

Mzuzu, June 21, Mana: Deputy Director of Agriculture Extension Service in the Ministry of Agriculture, Kenneth Chaula Friday said the Ministry would from July 1 to 30, 2024 conduct farm household registration across the country in order to have one stock centre for updated agricultural information.

He was speaking in Mzuzu during the Ministry’s engagement meeting on National Agriculture Management Information System with Traditional leaders, District Commissioners and Agriculture staff employees drawn from all districts in the north.

Chaula said the initiative has been necessitated to address some of the challenges which the Ministry has been facing in programming, quantifying needs for farming communities and providing information to agriculture stakeholders including policy makers among others.

“So we want to ensure that agriculture information is collected and stored and disseminated to stakeholders using NAMIS.

Using NAMIS, we will collect information which include, number of farming households and their agricultural interventions, market information, programmes running at district, area planning extension and traditional authority levels,” he said.

The Deputy Director added that the initiative would be a catalyst in pursuing agriculture productivity and commercialization as enshrined in the Malawi 2063.

“This this system, we will be assured of providing real needs of farming communities across the country,” he said.

Chaula said the intervention would ensure that ineligible households are not registered for programmes that do not directly address their needs.

He pointed out that the system would register both households and land parcels to establish farm land hectares and categorize farmers in terms of their agriculture needs hence contributing to effective programming based of the households’ capacities.

Senior Chief Mwaulambya of Chitipa commended the Ministry for the intervention saying it was important for the government to know the number of active farming households for projection, planning and budgeting.

“This system will ensure that active farmers benefit from what government provides in relation to agriculture through Agriculture Input Programme (AIP) among others. Some people who do not have farm land benefit from AIP and end up selling out the inputs, hence this system will identify eligible beneficiaries,” he said.

By Brighton Chimsinde 

Mchinji, June 21, Mana: Centre for Research and Development Initiative (CERADI) in Mchinji district has embarked on a refresher training for 12 Mother Care Groups (MCGs), those that are situated in hard to reach areas with financial support amounting to over K 20 million from GAVE through its umbrella board, Malawi Equity Health Network (MEHN).

One of the Senior Officers from CERADI, Lisungu Chiumia was speaking Thursday when she was closing one of the two day-long refresher training which was organized for Tadala MCG of Senior Group Village Head (SGVH) Tsamphale, Senior Chief Mlonyeni in the district.

She said the training was initiated with an intention to remind the grouping on the topics like MCGs roles, maternal and antenatal, group management, advocacy on health related issues among others.

MEHN’s Health System Immunization Strengthening Project Officer, Kumbesi Gomile said that the intention behind the support and trainings were to revamp and strengthen the groups for them to improve uptake of medical immunization among women and children and other health services in the remote and hard to reach areas. 

“We have supported them with finances for the training and now we are asking them to push the next gear in their efforts. 

“To ensure sustainability of the MCGs, the committee members need to cement cordial working relationships with community leaders and other stakeholders working in their community,” Gomile said.

Senior Health Surveillance Officer of Mchinji District Hospital, Johans Chirwa and Senior Group Village Head Tsamphale thanked CERADI and MEHN for the timely support which would go a long way in reviving the MCGs.

They called on the Tadala MCG Committee members to be united and utilize what they have learnt during the training in their endeavors for it to bear fruits to the community.

Chirwa said Tadala MCG was earmarked to benefit from the training because of low uptake of immunization among mothers and children due to poor road network and inadequate ratio of the health surveillance assistants to the community population.

Considering that the area is neighboring with Mozambique and Zambia nationals, he advised the MCG members that they should request families from the countries to produce their women and children health passport book when they seek to reside in the community or access health services.   

“Villages under SGVH Tsamphale are at a distance of over 17 kilometres from the District Hospital which is nearest to them and during a rainy season become impassable. The community has one Health Surveillance Assistant (HAS) who is serving close to 3,000 targeted populations which is contrary to the standard ratio which says one HSA to 1,000 people,” he said.