Government ready with cholera vaccine

The Ministry of Health has said it will launch a cholera vaccination exercise in cholera-prone districts before the end of the year.

Malawi has districts that annually face problems from cholera during the rainy season. The districts include Mulanje, Phalombe, Machinga, Nsanje and Zomba.

Public Relations Officer for the ministry, Adrian Chikumbe, confirmed the development to the local media saying five years have elapsed since the last dosage of the vaccine was administered and so there is need for a fresh vaccination exercise.

Chikumbe added that the ministry is keenly monitoring the situation on the ground and that besides the vaccine, chemicals like chlorine will also be distributed as has always been the case.

“We are administering this vaccination exercise this year besides encouraging people to observe good hygiene practices. People in the districts of Chikwawa, Nsanje, Phalombe, Machinga, Mulanje and Zomba will receive the vaccine this year,” said Chikumbe.

Commenting on the matter, health expert, Maziko Matemba, has hailed government for the initiative saying government should be on the watch out as the country is also under pressure from the Covid-19 pandemic.

“It is important for people to get the vaccine especially in districts that are usually prone to the disease. Right now, the country is struggling with Covid-19. It will be disastrous to have isolation centres for both Covid-19 and Cholera full of patients in our hospitals,” remarked Matemba.

The cholera death rate in the country is at 3.5% at the moment.

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