By Tracy Mtegha

Mzuzu, May 24, Mana: Malawi Communications Regulatory Authority (MACRA) is constructing a computer laboratory at Elangeni Community Day Secondary School at Elangeni in Mzimba District to provide students access to digital resources.

Information and Communication Technology (ICT) manager for MACRA, Gabriel Alli said the initiative is also aimed at providing students and surrounding community members with access to modern technology.

The computer laboratory which is set to be equipped with computers and WI-FI Internet and other ICT equipment is expected to serve as a hub for learning, research and innovation within the community.

“Once the construction is done, the school will be provided with 60 computers which will be given in three phases. This initiative is going to benefit students here and surrounding community members as they will have access to free internet for a while,” said Alli.

Councilor for Kafukule Ward, Penjani Chirwa asked for stakeholder collaboration in monitoring the construction project to ensure there is good workmanship and encourage transparency and accountability.

In his remarks, head teacher for the CDSS, Frances Mzumala bemoaned shortage of teaching and learning materials at the school and expressed hope that the situation will improve with the computer laboratory as some of such materials will be accessed digitally.

MACRA, with support from Universal Access Fund, is set to construct 75 computer laboratories in schools across the country.

Richard Kagunda

Kasungu, May 24, Mana: United Kingdom based Malawians under the group Friends of Kasungu on Thursday donated trollies to Kasungu District Health Hospital in a gesture meant to ease mobility of patients and transporting dead bodies at the facility.

The group’s representative in Malawi, Martin Chirwa said the donation is a response to the hospital’s dire need for mobility assets which include trollies and wheelchairs.

“We have it on record that the facility is lacking wheelchairs and trollies, a situation that makes it difficult to move patients from one point to another hence our coming to respond to the need.

“We also understand that there are several other challenges that the facility is facing and we will always come in within our means to reduce the need gap,” Chirwa said.   

Receiving the four trollies worth K1.25 million, Clinical Officer at the hospital, Edwin Jumbo thanked the group for what he said was timely support for the district’s referral facility.

 “There are many challenges which we can talk about, one being mobility of patients, for example, to and from the theatre. So we are thankful to Friends of Kasungu – UK Chapter for the trollies which will make us easily move our patients around the hospital whenever necessary," he said

Jumbo also called on well-wishers to support the hospital in other areas of need with items such as beds and wheelchairs.

Founded in 2019 to help in mobilising aid for quality service delivery back home, Friends of Kasungu – UK Chapter has previously donated various items like beds, mattresses and personal protective equipment to the hospital which serves a population of about a million people.

By Edson Levison

Mzimba, May 24, Mana. Women in Mzimba have commended Global Health Corps and International Training and Education Centre for Health (I-Tech) for carrying out cervical cancer screening services in Mzimba.

According to Wezi Zimba of Jenda, the initiative will enhance increased awareness on cervical cancer amongst stakeholders including women in the district.

“This initiative will save many lives of women and girls as they will be empowered to seek medical assistance when diagnosed with cancer,” said Zimba.  

She encouraged women and girls in the district and the country as whole to be going for cervical cancer screening for them to know their status.

“This initiative should motivate us to talk about the disease with fellow women and dispel any misconceptions which can counteract the aim of the initiative, “she said.

Another woman, Letina Phiri of the same area said any delay in seeking medical treatment for those found positive makes it hard for doctors to treat the disease if diagnosed at an advanced stage.

Community nurse for Jenda Health Centre, Felistus Lungu commended women in the area for patronizing the facility for cervical cancer screening services.

Lungu also urged women and girls who are HIV positive to undergo cervical cancer screening once annually and those who are negative should go for the service once after every three years.

Monitoring and Evaluation Advisor for I-Tech who is also an alumnus for Global Health Corps, Mafayo Phiri, said it is unfortunate that most women across the country shun cancer screening.

“We need to increase awareness interventions on screening as well as addressing the information gap,

Phiri said the organization will soon be rolling out cervical cancer screening in various health facilities in the district.

Almost 3,245 women in 2023 went for cancer screening services in the district.

By George Mponda

Karonga, May 24, Mana: Karonga District Council Chairperson, Misheck Mwaijengo has warned farmers to stop drying their rice on the sidewalks of M1 Road to avoid accidents.

This is coming as most farmers have started harvesting their rice and it is common practice to be drying the yield on the road.

In an interview on Friday, Mwaijengo said although the practice is very common during harvest time, it poses a grave risk to road users since accidents can happen.

"Our colleagues from the department of Agriculture should go around with awareness messeges to stop farmers from drying their rice and other products on the road. We should not wait for an accident to happen before action is taken," said Mwaijengo.

"The stretch of road from Karonga town to Songwe border is where this practice is very common and some parts of Chilumba as well. People need to know that doing this is putting the lives of so many road users in danger," he said.

In a seperate interview, one of the rice farmers, Rehema Chipeta from Zindi Village in the area of Paramount Chief Kyungu said lack of space to dry their harvest in their homes is what pushes them to the M1 Road.

"As we speak, the soil around our homes is still too moist and the only place where we can dry our rice is on the tarmac. We have no choice," Chipeta said.

By Tawonga Moyo

Mzuzu, May 24, Mana: Lack of information and fear associated with undergoing Voluntary Male Medical Circumcision (VMMC) has been said to be the main cause of increased cases of perianal cancer amongst men and a low turnout when it comes to the procedure.

The revelation came to light on Friday in Mzuzu during a media science café which was held under the theme ‘Saving men's lives; counting the impact of voluntary male medical circumcision in Malawi.’

The program, which was organized by Centre for Investigative Journalism (CijM) in association with Journalists Association against Aids (journaids), was aimed at equipping journalists with knowledge on VMMC in order to strengthen media coverage on the issue.

VMMC Coordinator at Mzuzu Central Hospital, Alex Khombedza said most men fear losing their erection and becoming infertile after getting the procedure, which he noted comes due to lack of information on what the procedure entails.

"Male Circumcision does not result into infertility but that in the first few months after the procedure, a man might lose the feeling of erection which doesn't happen to every person.

"Perianal cancer is becoming a serious condition bearing that at Mzuzu Central Hospital, we have a lot of male patients who have come from different district hospitals within the northern region and many of them are awaiting to undergo an operation," said Khombedza.

Khombedza said VMMC helps to reduce the risk of perianal cancer in men and cervical cancer in women in that the foreskin of the male organ which harbours the human papillomavirus responsible for the diseases is removed.

He said Mzuzu Central Hospital receives approximately 30 men on a monthly basis who come to seek VMMC services.

In his remarks, Bryan Mkandawire who represented One Community, an organization focused on reducing the vulnerability of people impacted by HIV, said it's crucial for civil society organizations (CSOs) and the media to dwell more on educating people concerning VMMC.

"As CSOs and the media, we need to look at the misconceptions that are there regarding VMMC so that people understand and are able to make good medical choices. Circumcision on its own doesn't mean 100 percent prevention against HIV but that chances of it are reduced," said Mkandawire.

In her remarks, Sarah Saulos from Voice of Livingstonia Radio said through health programs, it has been discovered that most men in the north hesitate to undergo the procedure as they believe it is linked to a certain tribe or religion.

"Most men hesitate to undergo the procedure as they think they will be going out of their culture or belief. It's important for the media to be more equipped so that such awareness messages on the importance of VMMC are uplifted," she said.

By Andrew Mkonda

Lilongwe, May 24, Mana: United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) has reaffirmed its stand to collaborate with the government of Ireland and Malawi to support all initiatives aimed at promoting gender equality and empowering women and girls in the country.

UNFPA Regional Director, Lydia Zigomo made the assurance on Thursday during a tour to appreciate what the adolescent girls at Chitseka in Lilongwe district are doing in Technology and Empowerment Enhancing Networks in Safe Spaces (TEEN) project.

Zigomo said it is interesting that Malawi as a country is working towards getting out of poverty by 2063, and one of the strategies that can achieve this is by making sure that girls stay in school and be educated so that they become economically self-reliant.

“I am so impressed to see that Malawian girls have a lot of talent and capacity and I have encouraged them to understand that the sky is the limit for them.

“Many of these girls have come out from difficult situations such as early marriages, but they have found ways of starting again with their lives by venturing into various entrepreneurial development skills such as tailoring, baking and some have even gone into agriculture which is encouraging,” she said.

Zigomo asked different stakeholders to make sure that the rights of a girl child are being respected, saying no matter where she lives, she must enjoy all the rights in her life.

Deputy Director of Gender Mainstreaming in the Ministry of Gender, Community Development and Social Welfare Ronald Phiri thanked UNFPA for the support it renders to the country in ending gender based violence (GBV) that women and girls face.

Phiri said before the introduction of TEENS project many girls were getting early pregnancies as early as 12 years of age which was heavily contributing to cases of fistula in the country.

Phiri said the TEENS project is targeting 7,000 adolescent girls in Lilongwe, Dedza and Mchinji.

One of the beneficiaries, Doreen Kabowa also thanked different stakeholders for the initiative saying it is transforming lives of many girls in the country.

By Manasse Nyirenda

Rumphi, May 24, Mana: Rumphi District Council, has revised upwards business licence fees to increase its purse for improved services delivery amidst economic shock which the country is currently going through.

Among others, daily market fee has been raised from K300.00 to K500.00 depending on the size of business, annual license fees for lodges has been increased from K100, 000 to K150, 000. While private clinics will be paying K75, 000 from K50, 000.

Night clubs will be expected to pay K150, 000 from K100, 000 as hardware shops will pay K150, 000 from K100, 000.

Speaking during a full council meeting, Chairperson for Rumphi District Council, Harry Munyenyembe said the revision of the fees will translate to provision of good public business premises.

“With these adjustments, we expect increased local revenue generation, thereby providing improved services to the expectation of the public, besides improving the council’s operations,” said Munyenyembe.

Munyenyembe added that the council is struggling to provide sanitation facilities in some markets due to resource constraints and was optimistic that situation will improve with increased revenue generation.

A representative of Rumphi Business Community, Wisdom Chibankhuni Nyirenda described the revised fees as reasonable.

“We all know that the cost of goods and services have gone up. This was expected, but we also hope that the council will be able to provide services that they can’t manage at the moment. We need to see improved waste management and construction of sanitation facilities in some markets,” said Nyirenda.

Paramount Chief Chikulamayembe said different fees which the council charges are necessary for the authority to develop and urged fellow traditional leaders to lead in sensitising their subjects about the revised fees.