Oxfam Malawi Launches Cholera Response Project in Shire Valley Districts
The Cholera Response Project is set to run from September 2023 to January 2024, with support from UNICEF.
NSANJE, Malawi — Oxfam Malawi, a humanitarian organization, has announced its commitment to initiate a Cholera Response Project in the Shire Valley districts of Nsanje and Chikwawa, writes Cornelius Lupenga
The project, which will span four months, comes with a budget exceeding K125 million.
Project Coordinator for Oxfam, Dilly Mwenda, made this announcement during a meeting with the District Executive Committee (DEC) in Nsanje on Friday.
He outlined the organization's plan to implement the project within the area of Senior Chief Tengani in Nsanje, targeting a population of 23,526 individuals across 10 Group Village Headmen.
Mwenda emphasized the project's objective to combat Open Defection, a significant contributor to cholera outbreaks.
He stated, "It is our hope that the project is going to curb Open Defection which is a major contributing factor to the outbreak of the waterborne disease."
Mwenda further highlighted that past tropical cyclones, including Ana, Gombe, and Freddy, had caused substantial damage to sanitation systems such as toilets and boreholes.
The Cholera Response Project will encourage communities to make effective use of toilets, ultimately eliminating Open Defection practices.
"If the locals are going to be using toilets effectively, our areas will be Open Defection Free," Mwenda added.
George Mbotwa, the Health Promotion Officer for Nsanje District Hospital, attributed the resurgence of the disease to cross-border movements between Lilongwe and Maputo.
Efforts are underway to contain further spread, with both nations holding meetings to address the pandemic.
"There have been cross-border meetings at the national, district, and area levels in an effort to contain this waterborne disease," Mbotwa explained.
Smith Mnenula, Chief Planning and Development Officer for Nsanje, urged Oxfam Malawi to expand the project's implementation area to raise awareness and assist in reducing the spread of the disease.
The Cholera Response Project is set to run from September 2023 to January 2024, with support from UNICEF.