By Nellie Kapatuka
Lilongwe, March 31, Mana: In a quest to curb the spread of Cholera in cholera hotspot areas, the Ministry of Water and Sanitation has supported Lilongwe District Health Office (DHO) with funds to conduct a ‘Tithetse Cholera campaign where among other things a clean-up exercise will be done.
Briefing the District Executive Committee (DEC) meeting on Thursday, Emmanuel Mbawa, Environmental Health Officer for Lilongwe DHO, said among others, the activity is aimed at triggering social behavior change and hygiene amongst the people.
He said a total amount of MK7, 343, 700 has been provided for the exercise whose launch is earmarked for April 3 at Chigwilizano market center.
“The exercise will target cholera hotspots areas in the district among them Chigwilizano, Nathenje as well as Nkhoma. The Ministry of water and sanitation is championing the whole activity,” said Mbawa.
He said the exercise comes against the background that the district continues to register new cholera cases.
On February 15, President Lazarus Chakwera launched a similar national initiative at Mgona in Lilongwe aimed at curbing and controlling the spread of the outbreak in the country.
As of Wednesday March 29, Lilongwe had 36 new cases, 12,193 accumulated cases since the outbreak as well as 548 deaths.