By Lekereni Chinkhota

Salima, April 25, MANA: Ministry of Lands has called upon stakeholders to be producing, using, storing and sharing high quality geospatial data that is standardized and accurately depicts information of features and activities taking place in the country, saying that such information is pertinent.

Geospatial data include information about weather readings, maps, real estate listings, contacts lists, traffic and accident data, and other points of interest data.

Speaking on Thursday during the sensitization and establishment of Malawi Geographic Information Council (MAGIC) in Salima, Surveyor General in the Ministry of Lands, Masida Mbano said MAGIC will enable the establishment of a one stop Centre for data access and sharing.

“In Malawi there are many stakeholders that are dealing with spatial data, data which is surveyed about location, disasters and all data in institutions. This data has no standard, it is collected in various formats and is not compatible with each other," Mbano said.

He said the council will make sure that there is proper standard, usage and presentation of the data that can be compatible and be mapped properly to be recognized worldwide.

Mbano added that with the absence of MAGIC, duplication of data was common which was costing the country a lot of money because different stakeholders would produce same pictures but on different surveys.

“If data is already collected by an organization and another organization needs the same data it will be shared to show that such organizations are doing the same thing. There is a lot of data in various offices that is not shared but it can be useful to other organizations, MAGIC will set rules on how such kind of data can be shared for the benefit of the country,” he said.

In her words, Chresceuntia Msasa a Lecturer in Geographic Information Systems at Malawi University of Business and Applied Sciences (MUBAS) underscored the importance of having the council, observing that it will boost the quality of data that various stakeholders produce.

She said: “The council will enable access to geospatial data, where to look for information, the quality of data on position accuracy and features or how the data was generated. People were using inaccurate information that was affecting the final product such as maps.”

Msasa further said it is important for various stakeholders to work hand in hand with the council for better results of the spatial data.

“The council will be working with spatial data producers and custodians for them to understand the intellectual property of the data, and the limitations of the usage of its usage," she said.

Meanwhile, Msasa has urged the council to set proper spatial data standards that each stakeholder will take into consideration to avoid compromising the end result that follows the usage of inaccurate data.

MAGIC was revamped in 2016 and has been given power to set standards that will be followed by stakeholders responsible for spatial data production to have high standard data that is accurate and trusted.

By Steve Chirombo

Mana, April 25, Mana: Officer In-charge for Dedza Police Station, Mwiza Mose Nyoni, has called on various stakeholders in the district to render their helping hand towards their ‘No to Suicide’ campaign her office is set to launch in the district.

Speaking at the end of the District Executive Committee (DEC) on Thursday, Nyoni said her office has so far recorded ten suicide cases from January to April this year unlike in 2023 when they recorded four cases in the same period.

“Suicide cases have become rampant in our district and more especially here at the boma. We therefore need to join hands in order to avoid further occurrences on the same.

As police, we are set to launch a campaign called ‘No to Suicide’ which is aimed at disseminating preventive messages on suicide cases. We will go across the district and for this to be achieved we need your support,” she said.

According to the Officer in Charge, her office requires fuel that will enable officers to travel to designated areas for the message dissemination exercise.

She further said that of the figures, men were taking lead in committing suicide adding some common factors include; marriage disputes and debts among others while emphasizing that her office has started confiscating drugs commonly known as ‘Chim’bulu’ which most people take in order to end their lives.

“Please let’s learn to open up when we have issues affecting our lives. Let’s speak out whenever we are hurt. There are no issues we can’t sort out hence no need in rushing to take our own lives,” she emphasized.

Commenting on the same, Edward Chisanga, District Social Welfare Officer for Dedza, said there are no specific people to commit suicide and that anyone can fall in that trap.

He called for everyone to seek timely assistance and also practice issues that reduce depression for a healthy psychological well-being.

Dedza Civil Society Organizations Chairperson, Heston Nalikole, has since called for a formal communication in a form of a letter that will then be sent to individual organizations in the district for further discussions with their head offices.

He however called for stringent measures to curb presence of Chim’bulu and other harmful drugs on the market.

“To us every soul is precious and the development is a concern. However, there should be enforcement measures on the sale of these drugs. Those selling should be registered and there should be designated places to sale these drugs.

We can do the campaign, provide support but if these drugs are not regulated it is like we are fighting a losing battle,” stated Nalikole.

By Blessings Preston Memena

Mzuzu, April 26, Mana: Executive Director for Malawi Health Equity Network (MHEN), George Jobe has urged stakeholders to collaborate with the government in sensitization and awareness raising campaign on the dangers of the malaria.  

Speaking in an interview with Malawi News Agency (MANA) on Thursday as Malawi joined the rest of the World in commemorating World Malaria Day, Jobe noted that malaria is one of the leading causes of death in the country, but it is most underrated by most Malawians. 

According to Jobe malaria drugs are mostly available in Malawi's public health facilities and the government has been distributing mosquito nets, which some people abuse by covering their vegetable gardens and for fishing.

“The malaria drugs are mostly available in Malawi's public health facilities, but most people report late for treatment when they or their children have malaria symptoms thereby resulting in a high mortality rate”, Jobe said. 

However, Jobe stressed the need for health partners to join hands with the government in sensitization and awareness-raising campaigns on the dangers of Malaria disease which is one of the killer diseases. 

“The increased awareness-raising will help appreciate that malaria is one of the big killers and that there is a need to get treatment early when one has a high fever,” he added. 

Spokesperson for the Ministry of Health, Adrian Chikumbe could not respond when we called him to comment on the matter.

However, The Nation newspaper on Friday quoted Minister of Health, Khumbize Kandodo Chiponda saying that in 2023, Malawi recorded 6.4 million malaria cases with a total of 1670 deaths an increase from 4.2 million in 2022.

She added that deaths decreased from 1 829 in 2022 to 1 670 in 2023 representing 25 percent of the county’s deaths.

Malawi’s National Malaria Strategic Plan 2023-2030 aims to eliminate malaria as a public health concern by the year 2030.

The world commemorates Malaria Day on 25 April every year, and this year the day was commemorated under the theme ‘Accelerate the fight against malaria for a more equitable world.’

By Patience Longwe

Lilongwe April 26, Mana: Malawi Human Rights Commission (MHRC) Director of Civil and Political Rights, Peter Chisi has assured small scale business operators that it would ensure that there was fair business competition between Malawians and other foreigners.

He said this would ensure equal rights in terms of business operations.

Chisi made the remarks Thursday at MHRC offices in Lilongwe during the meeting with Small-Scale Business Operators Association and Concerned Citizens on allegations that some refugees have returned from Dzaleka and are operating their businesses in some areas of the country which was hindering Malawians business as they are selling their goods at lower prices as compared to Malawians.

" Following the meeting we had, we have agreed that the concerned citizens should wait for the meeting between various stakeholders including the Minister of Homeland Security so that he can give government position regarding the concerns they have raised against refugees who have returned to urban areas," he said.

District Commissioner (DC) for Lilongwe, Lawford Palani expressed his gratitude to the MHRC for organizing the meeting saying this has helped the Council to know its roles and responsibilities in dealing with issues concerning foreigners in the country.

"I can confirm that I got notification from concerned citizen and small business operative within Lilongwe and they give me notifications that they are coming to demonstrate and they give me fourteen days to make sure that all the refugees are shifted to Dzaleka," he said.

Chairperson for the Concerned Citizen, Chidziwitso Simbi said as citizens they are very concerned because as a country, it was not developing in terms of business because their business are being carried away by refugees.

By Robert Nayeja

Nsanje, April 25, Mana: Principal Nutrition, HIV and AIDS Officer for Nsanje, Noza Mpesi, has attributed the rising cases of malnutrition among children in the district to effects of tropical cyclones and dry spells that hit the district last year and this year respectively.

He was speaking at Group Village Head Mnembe in Traditional Authority (TA) Tengani in the district during the launch of a week to disseminate messages to promote good nutrition.

He said the number of malnutrition referrals at the district health facility has risen three times than previous years.

“We could register a single or three referrals a week in our wards at the district hospital but now we have more than 20 referrals in our admission rooms,” he said.

He said a lot of farmers in the district rely on rain fed agriculture but most people's crops were washed away during Tropical Cyclone Freddy which has ignited hunger in the district.

Mpesi said his office is working tirelessly with other partners to contain the current situation which he described as worrisome.

“We have strengthened nutrition community structures and we are encouraging communities to have backyard gardens and also to take six food groups.

“We would like to conduct nutrition assessment to 60,000 children in the district to come up with exact figures for planning purposes,” he said.

He said the Nsanje needs more interventions and investments to contain malnutrition among children as the cyclone devastated almost all nutrition investments like backyard gardens in schools and Community Based Child care Centre’s.

Patience Kazembe an official from FOCECE, an organization that works in civic education and social empowerment in Nsanje, said they are working closely with the District Nutrition Office to improve the nutrition status of people in the district.

She said FOCECE is promoting consumption of diversified foods by promoting backyard gardens in the community.

"We are also distributing sweet potato vines and fruit trees to promote food diversification. We are also promoting modern ways of farming such as climate smart agriculture as one way of building resilience among community members during natural disasters like cyclones and dry spells,” said Kazembe.

Nsanje District Council Chairperson, Mike Kafalachi, said his leadership will ensure continuous support to nutrition interventions as good nutrition status is fundamental to sustainable development.

“People that are malnourished cannot manage to contribute positively to the development of our district. Let us put in place interventions that should help to raise good nutrition levels in the district,” he said.