Save the Children International (SCI) has donated medical drugs and supplies to the government of Malawi to support its fight against cholera outbreak.
The donation, which was handed over to the Ministry of Health in Lilongwe, included ringers lactates, Oral Rehydration Salts (ORS), doxycyline capsules, normal saline, chlorine and others.
According to a report by UNICEF, as of 08 January 2023, there were 21,024 cases and 704 deaths with newly registered 3,200 cases and 15 deaths in one week in the country.
The report also showed that 7,361 children’s cases are reported (35 percent of the total cases) with 109 deaths (15 percent of the total death).
Save the Children Country Director for Malawi, Ashebir Debebe, said the organisation is alarmed by the number of children highly affected by the outbreak.
‘It is obvious that any outbreak would not spare children and cholera outbreak is already affecting the children in the country’, he said.
‘This is what made us fail to remain silent looking at the lives and survival of the children being compromised’.
He added that the action comes from the organisation’s mandate, committing itself to respond to the needs, survival and development of Malawian children.
‘Thus why we are giving these essential drugs and supplies to ensure quality case management and prevent deaths caused by cholera’, he said.
The organisation said apart from drugs and supplies, it has been working in five districts of Mzimba, Nkhotakota, Nsanje, Zomba and Mwanza with a comprehensive package of case management and capacity building, monitoring and supervision and water and sanitation.
Principal Secretary of the country’s Health Ministry, Charles Mwansambo, while commending Save the Children for the donation, described it as timely and that it will help reduce the fatality of cholera.
Source: Nyasa Times
Photo source: hiroo yamagata
