Malaria is killing more people in Malawi than Covid-19, the National Malaria Control Programme Manager Dr. Michael Kayange has disclosed.
Kayange made the remarks in Salima during a media training the Ministry of Health organized with financial support from Global Fund and GAVI Alliance.
According to Dr Kayange, malaria is killing 2, 500 Malawians every year while Covid-19 has killed 2, 300 in two years despite the allocated donor funds of K15.3 Billion annually.
Speaking at the same event, the Minister of Health Khumbize Kandodo Chaponda people’s behaviour of shunning malaria treatment.
“Malaria is preventable and people must seek medical treatment in hospitals to get better,” she said.
The minister also bemoaned increase in cases of suicide due to depression among the youth and adults in Malawi, which is leading to loss of life thereby deterring development in the country.
She advised the media to help the government in disseminating information about Covid-19 immunization because a lot of people are shunning to be vaccinated.
“Twelve people who are currently sick from the fourth wave of Coronavirus are in fact not vaccinated and this can be avoided only if people can go for vaccination,” said Chiponda.
The stakeholders meeting was aimed at addressing the media fraternity on the importance of reporting health issues to the public and was organized by the Ministry of Health in conjunction with Global fund and Gavi and was attended by a cross section of the media from various media houses.