By Burnett Munthali
Cholera outbreak overwhelms under resourced health sector with Blantyre topping the list.
Many victims affected are coming from our markets where public health leaves a lot to be desired.
Malawians have risked their lives for quite too long to escape this disease.
The current outbreak is becoming one of the most difficult to deal with compared in the past.
The first cholera outbreak was recorded early March in 2022 in Machinga and has finally spread almost to all parts of Malawi by December 2022.
The citizens of this country have gone through challenges one after the other without a break. From COVID-19 in 2019 through 2022 then cholera throughout the same year 2022.
Cholera is a disease connected with poor hygiene especially to do with sewage in drinking water.
In my opinion, I think Malawians have carelessly disposed off more sewage into many water bodies for a long time and as such, the nation is now paying the price.
The presence of pampers/diapers in every public place and streams of this country is testimony to my opinion in this write up.
There are also several water pipes that leak throughout and who knows faeces from diapers/pampers might have come into contact with leaked pipes which end up in homes for drinking? We have seen this careless disposal time and again in every location and streams. Will you be surprised that we have cholera outbreak today?
There is a high possibility that Malawians have polluted their own water carelessly to this effect and many innocent souls are paying the price. Cholera won’t end in Malawi if people continue living carelessly like this and the most scaring part is that our hospitals do not have the drugs to fight the disease.
Cholera is an acute diarrheal illness caused by infection of the intestine with Vibrio cholerae bacteria. People can get sick when they swallow food or water contaminated with cholera bacteria. The infection is often mild or without symptoms, but can sometimes be severe and life-threatening.
Cholera Prevention Steps
Be sure you drink and use safe water. Use bottled water to brush your teeth, wash and prepare food, and make ice or beverages. Wash your hands often with soap and safe water.
Before, during, and after preparing food. Use toilets. Boil it, cook it, peel it, or leave it. Clean up safely.
