The European Union (EU) has committed 100 000 euro (about K100 million) to Malawi to support the fight against cholera that has now spread to 22 districts.

In a press statement issued yesterday, the EU said the funding, which is part of its overall contribution to the Disaster Relief Emergency Fund (DREF) of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC), is designed to reach over 753 000 people.

The EU said the funding will support Malawi Red Cross Society in delivering assistance to prevent and control the spread of the outbreak in Nkhata Bay, Nkhotakota, Karonga and Mzuzu.

Minister of Water and Sanitation Abida Mia inspecting a water source in Blantyre, one
of the hard hit area

Reads the statement in part: “The Malawi Red Cross Society will deploy an intervention team of volunteers to monitor the outbreak through active case finding and strengthening community’s capacity to identify and refer cholera cases to health centres.”

In the four-month project, a team of Red Cross volunteers will also run a risk communication campaign at community level and through mass media in high-risk districts to promote proper hygiene and sanitation.

“This will include supporting the transmission of health and prevention-related information on local radio stations,” it reads.

The EU funding will also support training of volunteers to give oral rehydration therapy as well as setting up isolation tents for cholera patients and rehabilitate and upgrade water points and systems.

It will also be used to buy materials to support case management, including gloves, facemasks, chlorine for water treatment, gumboots and oral rehydration salts.

Malawi Environmental Health Association recently tipped authorities to maximise efforts in fighting cholera as the rainy season approaches.

The association hinted that Malawi needs to act quickly to stop the outbreak before the rainy season as the bacteria that causes the disease spreads through contaminated water bodies.

Statistics from the Ministry of Health show that 22 out of the country’s 28 districts have reported cholera cases since confirmation of the first case in March this year.

As of Tuesday, the country has cumulatively registered 3 446 confirmed cholera cases and 103 deaths.

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