Findings of Malawi Human Rights Commission’s investigation show that there was indeed a ‘special arrangement’ for the Blantyre District Health Office (DHO) to administer Covid-19 vaccine to Indian community in Blantyre in March at Malmed Private Hospital.
This is in sharp contrast with what Minister of Health Khumbize Kandodo Chiponda said.
The Minister is on record to have cleared both the Malmed and Blantyre DHO on this critical issue.
But according to the commission, the exercise was organised by the Indian community and health workers from Blantyre District Health Office had been hired to administer the vaccine, with the promise that they would be paid K20,000 allowances.
The revelations led to a backlash from social media users and online publications who described the arrangement as racist, culminating into an investigation by the commission.
Reacting to this, Ceaser Kondowe a political and governance analyst haa asked President Chakwera to fire the Minister of Heath, Khumbize Kandodo Chiponda for lying to Malawians on a subject that has made Malawians miserable for it’s devastating consequences.
“In other countries, once Minister is found guilty of such malpractice, sign that she is incompetent deserve to be chopped from cabinet or she personally resign”, says Kondowe.
Surprisingly, the ministry of Health officials did not attend the function while DHO, Dr Kawalazira and pathologist, Dr Dzamalala both attended and apologized for mistake they did to the Commission.
Chaponda is co- chair of Presidential Task Force on COVID-19. She is the one who is in charge of the funds and operations of all COVID-19 in the country.
Minister of health is right. This MHRC report is an overreach, illegal and rubbish! Was anybody actually victimised? MOH has destroyed unused expired covid vaccines. The MALMED effort would have contributed to the utilisation of the vaccine. Some of the vaccine is a donation from the Indian Government.