By Mphatso Nkuonera
Lilongwe, March 19, Mana: Renowned artist, Tay Grin, has commended the Malawi President, Dr Lazarus McCarthy Chakwera for taking a lead in the Covid 19 vaccination which rolled out on March 11, 2021 in Zomba and Mzuzu.
President Chakwera said the vaccination is a must-have to achieve a health population and contribute in developing the country.
“We must have the vaccine to ensure that everyone who gets it is protected from getting the virus again anytime in future.
“We must have this vaccine to protect health workers who risk their lives taking care of Covid 19 patients.
We must have the vaccine to protect our teachers from getting the virus so that they continue doing the noble duty of educating tomorrow’s citizens,” said Chakwera before getting his jab at the Zomba State Lodge Covid 19 treatment facility for the Eastern Region.
Speaking with Mana on Friday, Tay Grin, real name Limbani Kalirani, has urged all Malawians to follow suit saying the country’s other well-known figures have already taken the jab after the President.
“I congratulate the President on taking the grand step forward in leading the nation in the vaccination exercise. This is servant leadership and desire to fight the Covid 19 pandemic that deserves applauding.
“As a Malawian with a noble view, I am encouraged and also persuaded to salute our leaders. I therefore urge all to emulate this gesture and get vaccinated to counter the further spread of the virus,” said Tay Grin.
He added that the Vice president, Dr Saulos Klaus Chilima, former Presidents, Dr Bakili Muluzi, Dr Joyce Banda, former Chief Justice Richard Banda, and Minister of Gender Community Development and Social Welfare, Patricia Kaliati, have shown that they have the welfare of the citizens at heart as individuals.
Malawi received her initial 360 000 doses of Oxford AstraZeneca first consignment of Covid 19 vaccine on March 5, 2021, with support from CONVAX a group of organizations.
Minister of Health, Khumbize Kandodo, and Co-Chairperson of Presidential Taskforce on Covid 19 say the vaccine will significantly help in the fight against the pandemic that has caused havoc to the country’s development in all dimensions.
“I urge citizens to disregard all myths and false stories against this vaccine, it is pure and has been internationally recommended, that is why our president Chakwera received the vaccine.
The minister said all districts are being allocated with the Oxford AstraZeneca immunization so that citizens should start accessing it.
“We must all continue observing the preventive measures put in place by government until everyone has been vaccinated,” Kandodo said.
In an interview with Mana, UNICEF Country Representative in Malawi, Ruldof Schwenk said the pandemic has heavily affected children in the country, therefore the rolling out of the vaccination will help change the trend.
“In any case when parents are affected by the pandemic, children directly or indirectly are disturbed, lets embrace the jab and there shall be happiness after administering this long awaited vaccination,” Schwenk said.
United Nations, Resident Coordinator to Malawi, Maria Jose Toress, Archbishop Thomas Luke Msusa of the Roman Catholic Church and traditional leaders have taken the lead in testing for Covid 19.
Toress said, The country has taken a huge step to stop the virus and emphasized on the immediate vaccination to effectively fight the virus.
