By George Mponda

Karonga, May 7, Mana: Amref Health Africa has launched Phase Two of its Cholera Response Project in Karonga, a four-month initiative aimed at reducing cholera-related deaths in the district, where seven fatalities and 66 cases have been recorded so far.

Presenting the project at a Public Health Emergency Management Committee (PHEMC) meeting Tuesday, Amref's Project Officer Daniel Nansongole said the project aims to eradicate the disease, which has wreaked havoc over the years, especially in border districts.

Nansongole said, “The main purpose of the project is to support the Ministry of Health (MoH) in the reduction of mortality rate as well as the spread of the Cholera pandemic in Malawi, specifically here in Karonga, where deaths and cases were reported."

"We will be supporting the District Health Office (DHO) in all the service delivery concerning the reduction of this pandemic in Karonga. The key stakeholders that will be involved in this project are the MoH themselves as well as the Public Health Institute of Malawi (PHIM), DHO and communities for this project to meet its goals," he added.

According to Nansongole, the project is funded by David lausai and the Placard Foundation through Armref's office in the United States of America to the tune of USD70 000 to implement this project in Karonga and Chitipa.

On his part, Director of Health Services for Karonga District Council, David Sibale expressed gratitude for the project, saying it has come at the right time since United States Agency for International Development (USAID) Cholera funded interventions had ceased.

"Since January, we have been complaining about the pull out of USAID which had crippled our interventions now that this project is coming in to support, we are grateful because it will help us to timely respond to some epidemics, which normally occur here in Karonga District," Sibale said.