By Brian Wasili

Mwanza, April 6, Mana:  Mwanza District Commissioner, Dr Martha Magreta Sineta, has commended Malawi Red Cross Society (MRCS) for donating assorted cholera prevention supplies worth K4 million to Mwanza District Hospital for use in the fight against the disease in the border district.

In an interview on Friday, Sineta said Cholera is a serious disease and if not contained may derail development efforts in the district hence the need for collaboration with partners to combat it.

“We thank MRCS for the support as it will assist us prevent further spread of the disease in the district,” said Sineta.

MRCS National Health Community Coordinator, Francis Liyati, said the donation has been made under MRCS once off Floods and Cholera Response Programme which is expected to run for the next three months targeting Mwanza, Mulanje, Karonga, Nkhotakota and Mangochi districts at a grand total of K76 million.

The programme is expected to roll out to other districts soon.

“We have also provided resources for conducting various interventions regarding cholera prevention in the district,” said Liyati.

Mwanza District Health Promotion Officer, Dikirani Chadza, said with support from MRCS the district has already trained health workers about the disease and has also conducted sensitization meetings with local leaders.

“In the meantime, we have enhanced dissemination of prevention messages through mobile vans across the district,” Chadza said.

The donation, which includes chlorine, 25 boxes of examination gloves, 60 pieces of heavy duty gloves, disposable aprons, 25 buckets with taps with a capacity of 60 litres each, 20 cartons of hand and body tablet soap, jerry cans, gumboots and liquid soap among others, will be distributed in all health facilities and hot spot areas in the district.

The district’s health office daily Cholera update indicates that from the onset of Cholera season in November, 2023 to early April, 2024, Mwanza has recorded 47 Cholera cases nine of which are cross border from Mozambique with one death registered.