Tag Archives: Khumbize Chiponda Kandodo

Health

COVID-19 resurfaces in Malawi: Records six cases in two weeks

Dorica Mtenje

…..Health Minister Kandodo calls for preventive measures

LILONGWE-(MaraviPost)-Since May 2023, when the World Health Organization (WHO) declared COVID-19 as no longer a Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC), few sporadic COVID-19 cases continued to be reported in some districts.

In a statement signed by the Co-Chairperson for Cholera and COVID-19, Khumbize Chiponda Kandodo stated that in the recent (first two weeks of January 2024) six COVID-19 cases were reported from one health facility in Nsanje district (Kalemba Community Hospital).

She said three of the recent COVID-19 cases were among members of the same family, the fourth was a work contact of the first case while the other two were from the surrounding community.

According to Kandodo the Country has no case admitted and there has been no death reported.

She added that the country has enough doses of J & J vaccines for all that need to receive the vaccines.

She said COVID-19 vaccination remains a primary preventive measure and the public is called upon to seek and receive the vaccine for free at all Public and CHAM health facilities at their earliest opportunity.

She However said despite the low numbers, it is an indication that COVID-19 cases still exist even beyond our borders and that there is no cause for alarm because of the recently reported cases.

“We still recommend preventive measures, including frequent washing of hands and use of sanitizers, avoiding crowded places and use of face masks should be exercised
as necessary,” said Kandodo.

She said those who received their first set of vaccines over 8 months previously, should visit the nearest Public and CHAM health facilities to receive their booster doses.

She therefore said while COVID-19 vaccines are effective in preventing severe disease, the protective effect wears out slowly and requires boosters to keep the protective effect at sufficient levels.

Health, Malawi

Will Malawi going to rest? Registers new COVID-19 cases

Dorica Mtenje

By Dorica Mtenje

LILONGWE-(MaraviPost)-Amidst cholera outbreak on Wednesday, January 18, 2023, Malawi registered 19 new COVID-19 cases, 12 new recoveries without death.

In a press statement, Minister of health, Khumbize Chiponda disclosed that 106 COVID-19 tests were conducted and out of these, 76t tests were through SARS-CoV-2 Antigen Rapid Diagnostic test while the rest were through RT-PCR test.

The positive cases out of the total number tested (past 24 hours) translates to a positivity rate of 17.92%.

Cumulatively, 629,970 tests have been conducted in the country so far.

Minister of Health who is also Co-Chairperson for the Presidential Taskforce on COVID-19 Khumbize Chiponda

Chiponda said all the new cases are locally transmitted; Blantyre (5), Lilongwe (11), Zomba (2), and Mulanje (1).
Cumulatively.

Chiponda said the country has recorded 88,385 cases including 2,686 deaths (Case Fatality Rate is
at 3.04%) out of the cases, 2,896 are imported infections and 85,489 are locally transmitted.

Cumulatively, 85,303 cases have now recovered (recovery rate of 96.51%%) and 290were lost to follow-up.

She said the total number of active cases to 106 with zero admissions and zero new discharges in the treatment units and currently two active cases are currently hospitalised and all are from Lilongwe.

On COVID-19 vaccination, the Minister said as of 31stDecember 2023, a total of 8,694,322 vaccine doses have been administered in the Country so far. Cumulatively

The minister disclosed further that 4,492,429 people have received their single dose, 3,482,092 are fully vaccinated and 719,801have received their booster doses.

She said over the past week 21,424people have received their single doses while 16,266got fully vaccinated and 3,500 got their booster doses on testing,

“As the Schools are now in full session and as we are still registering new COVID-19 cases in the country it is important that all of us support the learners and teachers in ensuring that the schools
remain safe ,”said Chiponda.

Chiponda therefore called for everyone to adhere to the preventive and containment measures in all settings including schools as it is important to continue implementing the measures to ensure
that the school environment remains safe.

She therefore urged the general public to adhere to all COVID-19 prevetion measures.

Development

Malawi Health Ministry intensifies 5s Kaizen campaign

Maravi Post Reporter
Health Minister Khumbize addressing the press

By Dorica Mtenje

LILONGWE-(MaraviPost)-Malawi government through Ministry of health has embarked on implementation of 5s Kaizen approach for quality improvement of the physical working environment in the country’s health facilities.

Launching the Seminar in Lilongwe on Tuesday, November 22, 2022, Minister of Health, Khumbize Kandodo said 5s approach optimizer empowers organizations to provide high quality health care services through harmonizing the quality of products, processes and resources among the departments and sections.

She said the country have four Kaizen benchmark hospitals including Mzuzu and Queen Elizabeth central, Mzimba south district and Malamulo Adventist hospitals.

Kandodo said currently 5s has been incorporated into the assessment of infection prevention prevention and control (IPC)

She said the 5S Kaizen method was originally developed in a manufacturing company TOYOTA that currently is used to improve quality in many sectors, including the health sector.

Malawi introduced the 5S-KAIZEN-TQM approach to improve the quality of healthcare services, supported by Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA).

On his part, JICA’s Chief representative, Kazuhiro Tambala said 5s Kaizen aims at boosting quality of health services with minimal resources available.

Tambala said throughout the implementation project the four benchmark hospitals have built the capacity of the personnel on 5s Kaizen.

The Seminar is themed at sharing the experiences of KAIZEN benchmarking hospitals which are expected to become a centre of excellence for 5S-KAIZEN activities for continuous quality improvement in Malawi.

The project implementation started in 2007.

Many health care workers and hospital managers have participated in the 5S-KAIZEN-TQM training, which was organized by JICA and conducted in Japan, Tanzania and Egypt.

Development

Health Ministry to promote breastfeeding in working places

Maravi Post Reporter

By Dorica Mtenje

LILONGWE-(MaraviPost)-As the country join the rest of the World in commemorating world breastfeeding week from 1 to 7 August, Ministry of Health is set to allow women to breastfeed in their working places.

Minister of Health, Khumbize Chiponda Kandodo said this on Monday during the official breastfeeding launch week at Chiwamba in Lilongwe.

Khumbize touring health facility

Khumbize said the week is cerebrated every year with the aim of protecting and supporting exclusive breastfeeding as the natural and best way of feeding infants from birth to 6 months.

She said women in rural areas are making good progress with breastfeeding unlike those living in urban areas as they relay much on baby feeds.

The minister said will mobilise members of parliament to be on forefront in bring their children to the August house for breastfeeding.

She said the ministry will run up activities that will strengthen up breastfeeding week in both hospitals and communities.

Concurring with the Minister, World Health Organization, Country representative, Neema Kimambo said the week is about spreading awareness about importance of breastfeeding and it’s need in the lives of babies and mothers

Kimambo said breastfeeding is one of the most effective ways to ensure child health and survival.

She said WHO is currently supporting Malawi in training health workers vto provide skilled support to breastfeeding mothers and help them overcome problems and monitor the growth of children.

In his remarks remarks ,United Nations Children Fund(UNICEF)Representative, Rudolf Schwenk said they are ensuring and providing a supportive environment for mothers to exclusively breastfeed their children during the first six weeks of life.

Schwenk said mothers are suppose to be given conducive environment to breastfeed whether at home ,work places or in their communities.

He said the rise in exclusive breastfeeding rates has been a success because of joint effort from various stakeholders supporting the agenda at national,community and healthy facilities levels

The commemoration was cerebrated under a theme Step up for breastfeeding, Educate and support.

Health, Malawi

Malawi’s COVID-19 Presidential Taskforce relaxes requirements for in coming travelers

Maravi Post Reporter

By Chisomo Phiri

BLANTYRE-(MaraviPost)-Following an extended drop in number of COVID-19 pandemic cases in the country, the Presidential Taskforce on COVID-19 has relaxed travel requirements for those traveling into the country through different points of entries including the Airports and land crossing effective June 1, 2022.

Minister of Health who is also Co-chairperson of the Taskforce Khumbize Chiponda Kandodo made the announcement in a statement released yesterday Thursday May 19, 2022.

COVID-19 awareness campaign

Kandondo said among other changes, all incoming travelers including Malawians that are fully vaccinated and have digital COVID-19 vaccination certificate will no longer be required to produce a COVID-19 Polymerase Chain React (PCR) certificate prior to entering the country.

She said all incoming travelers including Malawians that are not fully vaccinated or do not have valid electronically verifiable COVID-19 full vaccination certificate will be required to produce a negative PCR-based COVID-19 certificate that is not order than 72 hours at the time of arrival in the country.

The Co-chairperson added that COVID-19 PCR certificate and or full COVID-19 vaccination certificate requirement for outgoing travelers will depend on the destination country’s requirements.

“The public is further informed that the COVID-19 vaccination program is continuing across the country and let me take this opportunity to encourage all those that are aged 21years above to get vaccinated at the earliest possible time to ensure that they are protected from developing severe disease, risk hospitalization and deaths due to COVID-19.

“Globally, there is strong evidence that the COVID-19 vaccines are safe and effective in reducing the severity of the COVID-19 to those that have been fully vaccinated,” said Chiponda.

She said the evidence from the county’s COVID-19 data indicates that the majority that are being admitted due to severe COVID-19 and those dying from the pandemic are those that are not vaccinated.

She therefore, urged everyone who is not vaccinated to get vaccinated so that his/ her body is prepared to fight the disease when exposed to the virus.

Kandodo also assured Malawians that the country has adequate stocks of the COVID-19 vaccines such as Pfizer, Johnson and Johnson, and AstraZeneca in all vaccinations sites.

” Let me request those that have received the vaccines already to be role models and encourage who is eligible to get vaccinated. The COVID-19 safe environment begins with all of us,” said the Minister.

Malawi has for the past three months registered a dramatic drop in coronavirus infections.

From a total of 1,065 active cases on October 3 2021, the country’s total caseload has dropped to just 45 as of December 7, 2021. More than 5,000 people have recovered, while the death toll stands at 185.

New confirmed cases are now ranging between one and four per day. Sometimes days pass without a recorded infection.

Business, Malawi

Malawi Health Minister Khumbize can’t breath wining trip to Dubia in Airtel Boola Mtambo promotion

Maravi Post Reporter
Minister of Health Khumbize Chiponda

LILONGWE-(MaraviPost)-Malawi Health Minister Khumbize Kandondo Chiponda on Tuesday night, February 1, 2022 emerged as overall winner in Airtel Malawi Boola Mtambo promotion trip to Dubai.

This follow the final draw which was conducted in the capital Lilongwe.

When the minister mobile phone number appeared on screen after the draw, patrons to the function left amazed also.

Chiponda did not believe when she got a call from Airtel official Ellen Pensulo for the good news.

“Ambuye zikomo (Thanks God), I can’t breathe. I cant imagine for this great news in life,” amused Chiponda while she was on official duty way to Lowershire.

This means the minister will spend six days in Dubai whoever partner she may wish to travel with courtesy of the Airtel Malawi.

Health

Malawi runs out of COVID-19 Astrazeneca vaccines

Maravi Post Reporter
Khumbize Chiponda Kandodo

By Dorica Mtenje

LILONGWE-(MaraviPost)-As the country embarks on mandatory COVID-19 Jab,the country has run out of Astrazeneca vaccine by December 29, 2021.

Chairperson for presidential task force on COVI-19,Khumbize Chiponda Kandodo said the country will only administer Johnson and Johnson and Pfizer vaccine.

Kandodo said the country has lost 2350 people this year as 73,238 were the one who were found with virus.

She said the country is loosing seven Malawians daily in the forth wave of COVID-19 pandemic.

The minister said most death that are occurring is for those that have not yet vaccinated.

She said government will start administering Pfizer to children of the ages of 12-16 by January next year.

Kandodo has call upon Malawian to cerebrate their new year cerebration at their homes to avoid the spread of COVID-19 which is spreading at a very high rate.

Meanwhile, the country expects the arrival of 700,000 doses of Johnson and Johnson and 400,000 doses of Pfizer vaccines.

Health

Malawi health Minister Chiponda imposes mandatory COVID-19 Vaccines on media, health workers, civil servants

Maravi Post Reporter
Chiponda imposes mandatory COVID-19 Vaccines on media, health workers, civil servants

By Dorica Mtenje

LILONGWE-(MaraviPost)-Presidential task force on COVD-19, Thursday, December 16, 2021 announced the new measures including mandatory vaccines on media and health workers.

This be effective from December 20, 2021 as the country on Wednesday, December 15 registered alarming news COVID-19 cases of 315.

Chairperson for the task force, Khumbize Chiponda Kandodo who is also Minister of Heath said Malawi is now in fourth wave of the pandemic as it has registered new virus namely Omnicron.

Kandodo said the new measures has banned the political rallies as the task force observed that no one adhere to the measures during the rallies.

She said the measures has restricted the opening of bars to 10 pm country wide.

The minister said churches will not be tampered with as the task force has observed that most churches adhere to the rules.

She has asked all the companies to postponed festive season parties at it will put their employees at risk of getting the virus.

Kandodo added that international travellers will not be restricted but rather the travelers are requested to provide COVID-19 certification which is valid within three days.

She therefore said the vaccine will be mandatory to health workers, civil servants including media practitioners.

The general public are yet to reaction on mandatory vaccines.

Development, Health

World Vision Malawi aids Govt with MK114.7m medical supplies

Maravi Post Reporter
WVM National Director, Francis Dube handing medical supplies to Minister Khumbize

By Esnath Kalawe

LILONGWE-(MaraviPost)-World Vision Malawi (WVM) on Monday, September 13, 2021 donated medical supplies to Ministry of Health worth approximately MK114,703,500.00 towards improving the well-being of mothers and children.

Among other medical supplies donated include; heat pads, sanitary pads, crutches, baby powder, 225 cartons of Albendazole, 20 bottles of 100 tablets in each carton, surgical tape, exam gowns, shoe protectors, surgical towel as well as infant towels.

Some of the medical supplies have been donated to help in fighting against Covid-19 pandemic in the country. 

Speaking after the handover ceremony WVM National Director, Francis Dube said the donation has been done in line with WVM’s commitment in making measurable contributions towards improving the well-being of people of Malawi especially mothers and children.

“What we have donated today are the equipment that will make every child and mother to be very valuable. The donation will make clinics and health care facilities to move and take care of patients particularly mothers when they take children to clinics for service delivery,” Dube said.

Dube further said that WVM as a primary recipient of Global Fund works with government supporting communities to grow without any side benefit saying that this is not the first time to make such a donation to the Ministry of Health.

“In addition to this donation WVM has also built a number of clinics, trained Health Surveillance Assistants just to mention a few and to ensure every child experience good health and nutrition across the country,” he said.

Minister of Health Khumbize Kandodo Chiponda commended WVM for the kind gesture saying it is one way of complementing government’s efforts in supporting the welfare of Malawians.

“This donation has gone beyond Covid-19. We appreciate what WVM has done towards Ministry of Health. The donation which has several consignments has a huge impact towards lives of people.

“The donation is significant as it comprises of items with personal protective equipment (PPE) and other materials beyond Covid-19 like deworming tablets which are vital to children. We are advocating other organization, as well as other stakeholders and well-wishers to emulate the same,” said Chiponda. 

In the fiscal year 2019/2020 WVM implemented health projects in 24 communities across 15 districts of Malawi. Among key issues addressed by the health projects is inadequate dietary intake due to poor feeding practices.

Health

CDEDI firefights Chakwera’s Tonse hypocrisy in Covid-19 restrictions

Maravi Post Reporter 1 Comment

By Iommie Chiwalo

BLANTYRE-(MaraviPost)-The country’s watchdog, Centre for Democracy and Economic Development Initiatives (CDEDI) has condemned the hypocrisy being displayed by the Tonse Alliance administration in handling the Covid-19 restrictions.

In a statement made available to this publication and signed by its Executive Director Sylvester Namiwa, CDEDI has noted with regret the apparent shifting of goal posts by government as seen in the recently announced measures by the Minister of Health Khumbizie Kandodo-Chiponda.

Namiwa says much as it is commendable that there is need to be revisiting the Covid-19 preventive measures, CDEDI is of the view that government has announced the relaxing of a ban on political party gatherings by increasing allowable numbers to pave the way for political parties, including the ruling Malawi Congress Party (MCP).

“We know, for sure, this dangerous decision has been arrived at in view of the forthcoming by-elections. But we need to remind all and sundry that political rallies, no matter how small they may be, are super spreaders of this virus,” he says.

Namiwa further pointed out that it is surprising that government has maintained the stringent measures on the hospitality industry which directly employs thousands of Malawians, and millions of others indirectly.

“The current situation beats everybody’s imagination that the Tonse Alliance administration is trying hard to make Malawians believe that the virus is so sensitive that it spreads faster in the hospitality industry, entertainment, sports and religious gatherings, while it is very slow to spread in political gatherings,” he says.

He added that the Tonse Alliance administration is deliberately, and convenient to its desires, forgetting that this monster is deadly, given the toll it has taken even among our politicians, which speaks volumes of the extent of damage the disease can cause.

DEDI has since urged President Lazarus Chakwera and his administration to stop playing hide-and-seek games with this deadly pandemic.

“If the relaxation of the measures was made in good faith, we would have expected the consideration on political parties and other areas to also apply to the hospitality industry, which is now on its deathbed,” he says.

Namiwa has therefore asked Government to stop its carelessness approach in the implementation of the restrictions just to suit its desires as it smacks lack of seriousness, and has the potential to trigger resistance from the citizens.

“Above all, the recent changes in the Covid-19 protocols have, besides exposing government hypocrisy, also reminded the citizens about the careless campaign pronouncements prior to the court sanctioned June 23, 2020 Presidential polls, where the same politicians told Malawians that the pandemic did not exist in Malawi,”