By Tione Andsen

Lilongwe, Mana: Malawi Red Cross Society (MRCS) has warned that over 10 million are at risk of being affected Cholera in the country.

MRSC President, Innocent Majiya disclosed this Friday during a Press briefing for MRCS Cholera Emergency Appeal in Lilongwe.

He said currently 5 million children are at risk of the Cholera which was first recorded in February 2022.

Majiya said according to Ministry of Health, Cholera cases have reached 31, 832 with 1,045 fatalities as of January 26, 2023.

He said the fatality rate at 3.28 per cent which has been considerably higher than the acceptable rate of less than 1 percent set by World Health Organization (WHO).

“Malawi is currently facing its worst Cholera outbreak in two decades with over 31, 000 cases reported and 1,000 deaths,” the President said. 

He said the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) and its membership launched Cholera Emergency Appeal seeking over K 5.7 billion  to help government through MRSC reach a further 1, 385,391 people with Cholera prevention and control interventions.

“In scaling up the operation, MRCS and its partners with the IFRC aim to target over 18 affected districts,” Majiya pointed out

He thanked IFRC, Danish Red Cross and Swiss Red Cross for providing K 1 billion which has enabled MRSC to reach out to 10 districts of Karonga, Mzimba North, Nkhatabay, Nkhotakota, Salima, Mangochi, Chikwawa, Mwanza, Rumphi and Blantyre

Co-Chair of the Presidential Task force on Cholera and COVID-19, Dr Wilfred Chalamila Nkhoma said there only few days for the country to clock one year after the first Cholera outbreak was recorded in the country.

He pointed out the country has seen astronomical increases of Cholera cases since the beginning of rain season in particular in the month of December.

“In November, we had recorded over 300 deaths but in the past three months the country has recorded 800 new deaths and that’s catastrophic,” Nkhoma observed.

He said this was happening despite efforts by government and its partners to fight the disease.

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