By George Mponda, Mana

Karonga, June 18, Mana: Health officials in Karonga and Chitipa districts have intensified their public health preparedness following a targeted training exercise by Amref Health Africa aimed at equipping frontline health workers to better respond to outbreaks of Cholera, Mpox and other infectious diseases.

Held last week, the training brought together key district health staff to enhance disease surveillance, case management and emergency response mechanisms.

The two border districts, located in northern Malawi, have been identified as high-risk areas due to constant cross-border movement with Tanzania and other neighbouring regions.

Director of Health Services for Karonga District Council, David Sibale, underscored the need for vigilance in these frontier areas.

“These are frontline districts and the risk of importing diseases like Cholera and Mpox remains high,” Sibale said. “This training has strengthened our capacity and our health workers are now better positioned to detect, manage, and report suspected cases.”

Sibale also disclosed that Karonga has a contingency plan in place and continues to screen travelers entering through major border points such as Songwe and Kaporo.

He stressed that early detection remains the most effective defence.

“We are already conducting screenings, especially for those with symptoms indicative of infectious diseases. Our teams have been trained to recognize emerging threats early, which helps contain spread before it escalates,” he added.

Amref Health Africa Country Representative, Hester Mkwinda, said the intervention was deliberately focused on Karonga and Chitipa due to their historical vulnerability to public health emergencies.

“Karonga is a known hotspot for Cholera and other communicable diseases. Strengthening the capacity of health workers in such areas is a strategic move to stop potential outbreaks at the source,” Mkwinda said.

He urged stronger collaboration between government ministries, civil society and private stakeholders to develop a more unified disease surveillance and response system.

“We must take a multisectoral approach that includes immigration officers, health personnel, and community leaders. Knowledge and coordination are our best tools in keeping these communities safe,” Mkwinda said.

Data from the Ministry of Health indicates that border districts have accounted for over 30 percent of Cholera cases in the last three years, largely due to unmonitored travel and limited public health infrastructure.

Amref’s training programme is part of a broader regional health security agenda supported by donor partners and international agencies, aimed at reinforcing Africa’s ability to respond to pandemic-level threats before they spread beyond containment zones.