NEWS IN BRIEF
MANAonline

MANAonline

Saturday, 18 January 2025 11:52

Dedza HSAs urged to maintain professionalism

By Timothy Peter

Dedza, January 18, Mana: Dedza District Environmental Health Officer (DEHO), Honoratus Kadyampakeni, has advised Health Surveillance Assistants (HSAs) in the district to maintain discipline and professional conduct in the course of their duties.

He made the sentiments on Friday during an environmental health review meeting for 2024 that aimed at presenting the performance of the Expanded Programme in Immunization (EPI), hygiene and sanitation promotion mainly Cholera disease prevention and control.

On professional conduct, Kadyampakeni said the health workers must avoid indulging in political issues as the country is scheduled to conduct General Elections on September 16, 2025, and should avoid beer drinking during working hours and instead concentrate on their work.

"As civil servants, health workers must be neutral and should not take part in politics as it brings tension between them (health workers) and the political leaders in the areas they are working.

“You are also required to concentrate on your job and avoid taking alcohol during working hours because it is not only irresponsible but it is also against the civil service rules and regulations," he added.

On the performance of the district in cholera prevention and hygiene promotion, Kadyampakeni commended the HSAs for working hard to promote hygiene and sanitation in 2023/2024 a development that helped Dedza district to register only three confirmed cases of Cholera all from Mozambique as compared to 2022/2023 which saw the district cumulatively registering 2,250 confirmed cases with 80 deaths.

Speaking on behalf of fellow HSAs, Senior Health Surveillance Assistant for Dedza District Health Office, Moses Joshua, described the meeting as crucial as it helped the health workers to review how they are supposed to perform to serve the communities well.

"It was a platform for us to improve in terms of how we perform as health workers," he said.

Commenting on Kadyampakeni's advice, Joshua reminded his fellow health workers to know why government sent them to the areas where they are working.

"Politics will just compromise our work so we have taken note of this caution. There have indeed been some cases of health workers actively participating in politics but we need to know that we are sent to serve the people in the community," he said.

The review meeting brought together Senior Health Surveillance Assistants from all 37 health centres in the district.

By Andrew Mkonda

Lilongwe, January 18, Mana: District Rural Housing Officer for Lilongwe Lusungu Ngwata says government is committed to improve the welfare of the people with Albinism by among other things constructing decent houses for their security.

Ngwata was speaking Friday in the area of Senior Chief Mazengela in Lilongwe during the handover ceremony of two houses worth K90 million to the beneficiaries of the people with albinism.

Ngwata said it is encouraging that since the government started constructing houses for people with albinism, there have been no reported cases of abductions, which means that the security for people with albinism has been tightened and are feeling safe.

 

“This project is being implemented in all districts across the country apart from Likoma where there is no person with albinism, people are very excited, and they feel very secure and safe. We believe that this project will go very far in preventing abductions and inhumane treatment of people with albinism,” she said.

 

She then asked the beneficiaries to take care of the houses so that their security should not be compromised.

 

Speaking in a separate interview, Team Leader for Hebron Constructions Tom Chiphwanya thanked government for entrusting them with the construction of the houses.

 

Chiphwanya said though they did not meet the agreed deadline for the project due to other logistical challenges such as fuel scarcity, they have tried to maintain the specified standards that they were given.

One of the beneficiaries Henry Masauso who is married to Loness Willard a 38-year-old woman with albinism as well, and have five children together, all with albinism, thanked government for constructing a decent house for them.

Explains Masauso: “It has never been an easy journey to reach this far, our lives were submerged in perpetual fear more especially during night hours.

“Heavy stones were thrown on our roof, windows and main door. so that they enter our house to abduct or harm one of us. It’s like I am dreaming that today we are seeing this decent and safe house for people like us. I am so thankful to the government,”

Masauso says when he looks at what the current government has done by constructing houses for people with Albinism, considering that in the past, they were not considered as important people befitting such huge projects across the country, he sees the miracle of God.

Government is intending to construct 100 houses for people with albinism in five years and it has already managed to construct 67 houses across the country, with 11 of them being constructed in Lilongwe district.

By Vincent Khonje

Mchinji, January 18, Mana: Traditional leaders in Mchinji have called on their communities to ensure that agricultural inputs accessed through the National Economic Empowerment Fund (NEEF) Farm Inputs Loan Programme are utilized for their intended purpose.

NEEF is currently disbursing farm input loans in the country and Mchinji is one of the districts whose farmers are benefitting.

Senior Chief Mlonyeni speaking at Tembwe urged his people to make sure they do not disgrace him by using the inputs on purposes not intended for the programme.

"The programme has allowed us to make sure that we boost our households' food security. It will be shameful to see others sell the inputs and fail to pay back the loans," said Mlonyeni.

Group Village Head (GVH) Robert of Traditional Authority (TA) Zulu also appealed to communities to make sure they use inputs they have received in their fields so that they harvest and pay back the loan.

"You need to pay back the loan in time and this will help you to get many more times the amount you have acquired now," said GVH Robert.

A beneficiary of the loan Susan Kanyanga from Nabulenje Club, Mlera Village in TA Mlonyeni said the loan has given them a starting point.

"As farmers, we had problems on how we are going to get fertilizer considering the high prices. With the loan from NEEF we have got a starting point," said Kanyanga.

NEEF Member of the board Jacob Mderu said the programme has so far made progress as many smallholder farmers have been reached out to.

"Each passing day the number of beneficiaries is increasing. I am very grateful as this shows that we will reach out to the targeted farmers as planned," said Mderu.

NEEF set aside K150 billion for the farming season and wants to reach out to over 400,000 farmers.

By Chisomo Kmabandanga

Nkhata Bay, January 18, Mana: Environment and Climate Change Specialist for Transforming Agriculture and Entreneurship Programme (TRADE), Amosi Simwela has disclosed that lack of capacity hinders councils in the country from responding better to disasters.

Simwela said this Friday in Mzuzu at the end of the three-day District Disaster Risk Management Committees (DDRM) capacity-building workshop for Nkhata Bay and Karonga districts for them to efficiently and effectively manage disasters at the district and community level.

According to Simwela, the TRADE programme recognizes the importance of DDRMs in planning and managing disasters hence their commitment to make sure that these committees are functional and capacitated.

"We deal with smallholder farmers who are mostly affected by the effects of climate change including disasters such as floods and droughts.

"However, we observed that councils cannot deal with these. By orienting these committees, we are assured that even our farmers at the local level will be empowered," he said.

He added that the committees have been reminded of their roles, approaches in disaster management, mitigation measures and how they can build resilience.

In her remarks, the Disaster Risk Management Officer for Nkhata Bay, Rachael Kamanga commended TRADE for the workshop as skills gained will help them handle the disasters they are facing.

"As councils, we do not only lack skills but also resources. However, we recognize that resources will never be sufficient.

"With the new skills we have acquired, we will respond effectively when disasters strike, even with limited resources," she said.

Monitoring and Evaluation Officer for Karonga, Lyton Mwaungulu said that the training was necessary as the world is changing every day hence new skills gained are paramount.

By Chisomo Kmabandanga

Nkhata Bay, January, 18, Mana: Training Officer for the National Local Government Finance Committee (NLGFC) Louis Sichali has urged Nkhata Bay District Environment Sub Committee (DESC) to prioritise the prompt resolution of the Climate Smart Enhanced Public Works Programme (CS-EPWP) wage claim cases to ensure justice to participants.

Sichali said this Friday during an orientation to DESC members on CS-EPWP case management to ensure that all case management protocols are observed.

"There are many cases that come during the implementation of the project like participants receiving less wages or not receiving at all but they have worked.

"Also we have issues to do with the replacement of households. These need proper guidelines to be resolved hence the orientation," he said.

According to Sichali if such cases are not diligently sorted out, participants are demoralized.

"Our emphasis therefore is that all cases that deal with money claims have to be resolved within two weeks upon completion of the phase," he added.

He, therefore, advised DESC members to always provide verdicts of cases to the participants and reduce the cases received during payday by sensitising the participants on the modalities and requirements for someone to work in the programme.

In her remarks, District Environmental Officer, Neva Mulungu said the training has been an eye-opener as new skills and insights that will enable DESC to manage cases efficiently and effectively were gained.

"We are committed to applying our newfound knowledge and skills to make sure that cases received at all levels are minimised," she said.

Mulungu added that in the previous phase, the district recorded about 976 cases which have been resolved but with the training, there is hope that cases will be reduced in the subsequent phases.

District Programme Facilitator, Edward Ngwemba said the district will immediately go on the ground to orient all committee members on the new modalities as work is currently in progress.

CS-EPWP is implemented across the country by the National Local Government Finance Committee with Funding from the Multi-Donor Trust Fund and World Bank.

By Prisca Promise Mashushu

Lilongwe, January 17, Mana; The Minister of a Labour, Vitumbiko Mumba has said he will push more efforts to revise regulations and policies that support volunteers to have safe working environments.

The Minister said this during the commemoration of volunteer’s day at Airwing Primary School in Lilongwe on Friday.

He said volunteerism is more than just an act of goodwill as it is a driver for sustainable development for a resilient and inclusive economy that the country is envisioning.

“Volunteers play a crucial role in eradicating poverty by engaging in grassroots activities that improve livelihoods and skills development by enabling the empowerment of communities, particularly women and youth.

“For Malawi with abundant youthful human resource, volunteerism has helped to engage the population in a productive way so that we all contribute to the national development,” Mumba explained.

The Executive Director for National Youth Council of Malawi, Rex Chapota, hailed government for its initiative to support volunteers in the country by ensuring inclusivity of youths and women in programmes that promote national developments.

“As a council we are highly involved in the issues of volunteerism since about 80 percent of the volunteers are youths hence a call for measures to ensure that all volunteers in the country are doing their work in a safe environment by receiving the necessary support and resources.

“The government under the Ministry of labour should also continue to ensure that volunteers are safe from physical attacks by making sure that communities are aware of their important roles they play in fostering developments in the country,” he explained.

One of the volunteers, Gomezgani Nkhoma, also applauded the government for its support towards volunteers but has appealed for support at local and national level towards volunteers work in different areas.

“People especially in rural areas lack proper communication when it comes to volunteers something that is compromising their work hence a need for action from all parties to support volunteers from the grassroots levels,” he noted.

The volunteer day, was commemorated under the theme “Volunteer actions towards sustainable and inclusive future”.

By Patricia Kapulula

 

Dedza, January 17, Mana: Ministry of Natural Resources and Climate Change is working on logistics to get the right legal support and authorization so that forest guards have proper equipment to properly guard the country’s forests and reserves.

 

Minister of Natural Resources and Climate Change, Owen Chomanika, made the remarks Friday during the pass out of forest guards at Malawi College of Forestry and Wildlife in Dedza.

 

105 forest guards have graduated with certificates after a six-week training in basic weapon handling and sustainable forestry management.

 

He said the guns currently used by forest guards are not suitable for the task as they are meant only to scare and not subdue the offenders, which puts them at risk in the event of an attack hence the need to have the arms upgraded.

 

“We are going on training that is intense than before while at the same time making sure how best we can equip the guards to manage patrols so that we have proper protection of our reserves and forests,” he said.

 

He expressed concern that the country experiences massive deforestation, as there are a lot of illegal loggers in most reserves.

 

Malawi targets to afforestate 4.4 million hactares by 2030, which Chomanika said is possible with proper forests guards who are well equipped.

 

One of the graduating recruits, Willard Fred, hailed the training saying it has given them the expertise to protect forests and reserves.

 

He thanked the Ministry for the consideration to upgrade their weapons saying it will go a long way in forestry sustainable growth.

 

“Our work is not easy as we meet people who have weapons such as pangas and stones. These people mobilise themselves to attack us.

 

“However, with the expertise we have acquired we will fight and protect forests in the country. Our work is not to kill but to protect our forests,” he said.

 

The Ministry is expected to recruit 1,500 forest guards to ensure that the country’s forests and reserves are properly guarded.

Friday, 17 January 2025 16:58

President Chakwera departs for Lilongwe

By Agatha Kadzinje and Ruth Kumwenda

Blantyre, January 17, Mana: President Lazarus Chakwera Friday departed from Blantyre through Chileka International Airport for Lilongwe.

While in Blantyre, the President attended the John Chilembwe Memorial Service at Providence Industrial Mission in Chiradzulu District on Wednesday.

Delivering his speech, the President emphasized the need for Malawians to choose leaders who are passionate about unity and peaceful living.

Minister of Information and Digitalization Moses Kunkuyu told Malawi News Agency (MANA) in an interview after seeing the President off that the Head of State has completed various engagements in the southern region. 

He added that President Chakwera had always attended Chilembwe Memorial Ceremony even before he was President.

"The President joined the rest of the country to honour Reverend John Chilembwe. This is not his first time to attend the ceremony. The time he was the leader of the opposition and a pastor, he took his time every year to pay respect to this day," he explained. 

Kunkuyu added that the President saw it important to attend the ceremony because John Chilembwe was one of the leaders who laid the foundation for this country. 

The crowd that bid farewell to the president at Chileka Airport included Minister of Finance Simplex Chithyola, Brown Mpinganjira, District Commissioner for Blantyre Haris Moola, Chief Executive Officer of Blantyre City Council Dennis Chinseu, traditional leaders, and religious leaders.

The President arrived in the southern region on Tuesday, January 14, 2025, and joined a jubilant crowd at the Clock Tower roundabout in Old Town Blantyre.

Friday, 17 January 2025 15:16

Mukuru hands over prizes to lucky winners

By Patience Longwe

Lilongwe, 17 January, Mana: The Malawi Country Manager for Mukuru, Pride Chiwaya, has expressed gratitude for the success of the "Kuiphura ndi Mukuru" promotion, stating that the promotion has been highly effective in achieving its primary objective—encouraging customers to use the Mukuru wallet.

Speaking on Friday at Mukuru offices in Lilongwe during the finale of the competition, Chiwaya said the Mukuru wallet is important in the country in a way that it is the safest way of transacting and also it gives their customers a chance to keep their funds and to transact at their convenient time.

"In October we had about 1,100 entries and in November the number of participant customers increased to 1,400 and in December, which was our final month the number of entries increased to 1,700 so we are encouraged with this outcome and grateful for our customers and we just want to encourage our customers to continue using Mukuru wallet because it is their only convenient way of receiving and sending funds," he said

Chiwaya also added that as Mukuru they are excited because they have seen that month after month the number of customers who utilize the Mukuru wallet to receive funds internationally is so far growing.

One of the lucky winners, Fatima Mateyu Who has won the grand prize said she is much grateful and encourages others to use Mukuru wallet.

The "Kuiphura ndi Mukuru" promotion, which ran from October to December, rewarded customers with various prizes, including smartphones, Bluetooth speakers, brand-new TVs, Mukuru golf shirts, and cups.

Today, Mukuru announced the grand prize winner, Fatima Mateyu from Mangochi, who has won a brand-new Mitsubishi Xpander vehicle. The grand prize will be officially presented to her on January 20, 2024.

By: Steve Chirombo

Dedza, January 17, Man: Dedza district council, Principal Nutrition and HIV Officer (PNHAO), Lottie Makina on Thursday disclosed that his office managed to reach out to 721 out of school adolescents with Iron Folic Acid (IFA) by December 2024.

The disclosure came about during an engagement meeting between the District Nutrition Coordinating Committee (DNCC), District Health Management Team (DHMT) members and officials from the Department of Nutrition, HIV and AIDS (DNHA).

Makina said it was through a multi-sectoral approach between his office, other departments and partners, to reach out to such number of adolescents in the district.

“At first, when the program started in 2019, we reached out to all schools both primary and secondary, as well as to the 34 health facilities; but getting to 2022, the program was scaled down to 41 Joint Program on Girls Education (JPGE) schools and 10 health facilities,” stated Makina.

He further said realizing the lower impact, his office and other partners agreed to do the supplementation through the youth clubs in order to reach out to more adolescents.

“We reached out to 721 out of school adolescents thanks to DNHA and UNICEF. IFA supplementation in schools has been performing well although there are a few eligible adolescent girls who refused to take due to false beliefs and faith issues.

“But we saw good participation of the youths when we used the youth clubs and boys took lead in advocating for the same although the target were girls,” he stated.

However, Makina pointed out that supplementation of Micro Nutrient Powder (MNP), faced numerous setbacks due to inadequate sensitization on the program resulting in limited knowledge by caregivers on nutritional benefits of Ndisakanizeni (MNP) for their children adding if the program was to roll out again, there is a need for a massive awareness campaign.

On his part, Samson Mfuyeni, Health Promotion Officer (HPO) in the department, said their coming was to discuss with the council team on how they would accelerate both MNP and IFA in the three months’ period of January to March 2025.

He said generally, there is low uptake of MNP and IFA supplements in all implementing districts.

“Some results based survey showed inadequate knowledge by the communities on usage, importance and availability of the supplements. At the same time, it has been realized that elements of centralized distribution of the supplements in some districts also affected their uptake,” indicated Mfuyeni.

The department’s HPO also pointed out that the main objective of the roadmap was to ensure distribution of the supplements reach 80 percent in the targeted districts. These to be done through mass awareness campaigns, decentralized distribution of both logistics and supplies and the supplements using the Child Health Week Campaign Strategy.

The three months implementing period to increase uptake of the supplements is done with support from the World Bank.

OUR SOCIAL LINKS

   

     RELATED LINKS