By Chilungamo Missi

Blantyre, July 20, MANA: Chiradzulu District Integrated Disease Surveillance and Response (IDSR) Focal Person, James Lisausyo has commended Evidence Action Organisation for its interventions that ensure that communities have access to safe water in the district.

Lisausyo made the remarks on Thursday in Chikankheni Village, Traditional Authority (T/A) Mpama in the district, during Evidence Action field visit aimed to appreciate the Chlorine Dispensers which the organisation installed in the district.

He said that with the intervention he expects a decrease in waterborne diseases saying the only way to deal with such diseases is water and food hygiene.

“We are coming from a period where the country experienced Cholera outbreak and Chiradzulu was not spared.

“The development is commendable as currently the country is dealing with Polio which spreads as a result of ingesting unhygienic food and drinking unsafe water, so Chlorine dispensers are ideal in the fight against the disease,” said the IDSR.

Speaking on the same, Village Headman Chikankheni said that his village welcomed the development which has assisted in curbing waterborne diseases since the chlorine dispensers were installed in his village three months ago.

“My village has 166 families, and we only have two water boreholes, a situation which forces us to drink from nearby wells. In the past, these wells were unprotected but now Chlorine dispensers have been installed in these wells and majority of the people have embraced them,” he said.

In her remarks, Evidence Action Associate Area Coordinator for Blantyre and Chiradzulu districts, Annie Laisani said that the organisation has installed 1,435 Chlorine dispensers in Chiradzulu district adding that they have so far installed dispensers in eight districts; Mwanza, Neno, Blantyre, Zomba, Balaka, Mangochi and Machinga.

She added: “Evidence Action came in to support government in curbing waterborne diseases and the programme is making positive strides although in some areas people are spreading myths concerning the dispensers, but with help from health workers we are addressing such problems by making sure that people have the right information.”