By Memory Chatonda

Blantyre, April 14, Mana: Blantyre District Health Office (DHO) has embarked on a series of campaigns dubbed, 'Konda Moyo, Konda Blantyre' to prevent sexually transmitted infections (STIs) in the district.

The campaign, organized by the Blantyre District Health Office (DHO) in collaboration with Blantyre City Council, took the two entities to the Chilomoni Health Centre grounds on Saturday. Spokesperson for the DHO, Chrissy Banda, said the activity was conducted in response to the increased cases of STIs reported in 2024.

Statistics, according to Banda, indicate that Chilomoni Health Centre registered at least 127 STIs cases from October to December 2024, contributing to at least 8000 cases registered from all health facilities in Blantyre during the same period.

“While we are celebrating that new HIV infections are decreasing, the rise in cases of STIs indicates that people are not adhering to other preventive measures for STIs,” she added.

She therefore said the DHO is implementing Blantyre Prevention Strategy campaign, which aims at sensitizing communities on STIs preventive measures, including HIV prevention.

“Through our awareness, we are now promoting dual protection, that is to say, if you are using other preventive measures, make sure that you are also protecting yourself by using condoms,” Banda added.

Group village head Chilomoni acknowledged increased cases of STIs among people under his jurisdiction, attributing the increase to “reckless behaviour”.

Together with her team, Group village head said she will ensure that messages on STIs and HIV prevention are disseminated at every public gathering in Chilomoni.

During the event, which was funded by the National AIDS Commission, various services such as HIV testing, condom provision, and information on PrEP and others were also provided to people.

Another open day talk is also expected to be held at Kachere and Soche in the same district soon to increase awareness.

By Ireen Mseteka

Likoma, April 12, Mana: Nine bodies out of the 11 people who died this Saturday morning in Likoma after the boat they were sailing in capsized have been repatriated to Mzuzu Central Hospital.

Acting Senior Chief Mkumpha said the bodies will be kept at Mzuzu Central Hospital before being dispatched to their respective districts.

"Government through Dodma will buy coffins for all the deceased and the rest will be buried tomorrow where the minister of transport, Jacob Hara and our member of parliament will be in attendance," said Senior Chief Mkumpha.

He said among the nine deceased, two hailed from Nkhotakota, one from Mzuzu, one from Karonga, two from Chitipa, two from Mzimba and one from Blantyre.

Deputy Council Chair, Ernest Gulu said he was saddened by the tragedy which he described was the first of its kind in the district.

"My heart is bleeding with this sad development, some of these deaths are avoidable, we are asking government to hasten the jetty so that people should avoid sailing boats to board the ship," said gulu.

By Blackson Mkupatira

Chiradzulu, April 12, Mana: Department of Disaster Management Affairs (DoDMA) has assured hunger-stricken households in Chiradzulu District that government is doing everything possible to ensure families affected by El Niño receive relief maize.

Speaking on Friday during a symbolic maize distribution exercise in Traditional Authority Nkalo in the district, DoDMA's Director of Preparedness and Response, Rev. Moses Chimphepo said funds have already been mobilized for further procurement and distribution of relief maize for the third phase.

He said that government has already sourced 87 percent of the maize needed for the entire response period which varies in districts according to the findings of the Malawi Vulnerability Assessment Committee (MVAC) which projected widespread hunger affecting about 5.7 million people in the country.

“As DoDMA, we have started distributing 1,550 metric tons of maize to vulnerable communities across the nation. The maize being distributed now in Chiradzulu was purchased using funds from the African Development Bank (AfDB),” he added, and expressed concern that some people were reportedly selling the relief maize, warning that such acts risk discouraging donors.

On the selection of beneficiaries, the director expressed concern over frequent criticisms directed at DoDMA, despite the department's limited role in the process.

“It is often DoDMA that gets blamed when issues arise, but the responsibility for selecting who receives assistance lies with the councils and traditional leaders. Our mandate is to mobilize resources and procure the maize,” he clarified.

On her part, AfDB Senior Agricultural Economist, Doreen Kumwenda, said the bank provided K1.8 billion to Malawi Government to help procure maize for families affected by hunger following the presidential declaration of a state of disaster in March last year.

“We understand the effects of climate change, which reduced crop yields by about 20 percent that’s why we made the donation. The maize we helped purchase will benefit over 31,000 households in Zomba and Chiradzulu,” she added.

Kumwenda also assured government of AfDB’s continued support in tackling hunger and promoting resilience, saying they will continue to work with the government until a time when communities are able to be independent.

Chiradzulu District Commissioner, Francis Matewere disclosed that 26,413 households have been earmarked to receive maize under the relief programme.

Member of Parliament for Chiradzulu South, Joseph Mwanamvekha, thanked DoDMA and AfDB for their support, saying his area suffered three consecutive years of natural disasters.

“Hunger in our area is worsened by erratic rains, farmers’ limited access to fertilizer, and prolonged dry spells. I appeal to DoDMA to consider increasing number of beneficiaries so that more people can benefit,” he said.

Speaking earlier, Traditional Authority Nkalo, whose area also benefited from DoDMA maize programme, acknowledged the support but raised concerns over the pace of distribution.

“We were told that we would be receiving maize for four months starting in December, but this is only the second time we are receiving it. There’s a need to speed up the process so that people should get assistance on time,” he said.

One of the beneficiaries, Emilida Banda, from Nkalo Village said she did not harvest enough during the 2024/25 farming season due to erratic rainfall, and thanked government for the relief maize, saying it will reduce the hunger her family was facing.

By Gift Wahuta

Blantyre, April 12, Mana: Blantyre District Agriculture Development Office has advised farmers in the district not to rush selling all their farm produce after harvesting, saying the best way is to reserve some to sustain their household food stock until next harvest in the 2025/2026 season.

This comes following a press statement on farm gate prices by the Ministry of Agriculture earlier this week.

Chief Agriculture Officer, Lusungu Banda, told Malawi News Agency on Friday that farmers should only sell their surplus after setting aside enough food to last the entire year.

“Farmers should observe food budgets to ensure they have enough food before selling. They should sell their surplus gradually, as prices may fluctuate, allowing them to benefit from better rates later,” Banda added.

To enforce compliance with the new pricing, Banda disclosed that structures have been put in place from the traditional authority level down to group village heads, to sensitize communities, with additional support from law enforcement.

“We will be conducting market inspections with police officers to ensure buyers are using certified scales, as recommended by the Malawi Bureau of Standards. Anyone caught manipulating figures or weighing systems will face the law,” she warned.

In a separate interview, agriculture expert Tamani Nkono Mvula, described the newly set farm gate prices as fair, noting the prices reflect production costs.

However, he stressed the need for immediate market intervention by institutions and concurred with Banda’s appeal for farmers to reserve food for consumption other than selling all the food at the expense of food security at household level.

"Farmers should do proper calculations before selling. If farmers sell everything now, they may end up buying the same maize at higher prices again later. Statistics show there might be a food gap between consumers and industry, and if farmers sell all their food, they will be the ones to suffer later,” he cautioned.

The Ministry of Agriculture introduced the farm gate pricing policy to protect farmers from being exploited by buyers offering low prices.

By Ireen Mseteka

Likoma, April 12, Mana: Eleven people have been reported dead as the boat they were sailing in to board MV Chilembwe capsized in the wee hours of Saturday at Jalo in Likoma.

Deputy Administrator for St. Peter's Hospital, Nkhonjera Banda confirmed that the dead bodies; six women, a girl and four men are being kept at the hospital's mortuary.

"I have received the reports that the 11 bodies are being kept at the hospital mortuary. They were brought in this morning and other survivors are receiving treatment at the hospital," said Banda.

Speaking on the hospital bed, a survivor, Elinase Phiri a business lady from Karonga, said the boat had a hole where water was entering into the boat and led to its capsizing.

"We realised very late that the boat had a hole. We confronted the operator to take us back to the shore but he insisted that he would be fast. We shouted but all in vain and the boat capsized.

“By the grace of God, I had to hold tight to the boat, then I was rescued," said Phiri.

Likoma Police Station Public Relations Officer, Enala Kalua confirmed the incident saying that investigations are in the process.

By Steve Chirombo

Dedza, April 12, Mana:  Maltida Mtambo, Dedza District Council's Chief Agriculture Officer, has advised farmers in the district to join cooperatives for easy access to farm inputs and also be able to learn modern agricultural methods.

Mtambo made the sentiments on Friday during a field day for farmers at Bembeke area under Inkosi Kamenyagwaza in the district.

Mtambo said, “Time has come for farmers in the country to work together and harvest bumper yields. We appreciate the lead farmers here who are also at the forefront in helping other farmers.”

She further encouraged farmers to continue using hybrid crops, saying they mature earlier than other local varieties, also to beat climate change.

In his remarks, chairperson for Bembeke lead farmers network, Chikumbutso Montino, said there are 18 groups that recently managed to contribute MK33 million, which was used to buy hybrid seeds and maize.

“Many farmers have now realized the importance of joining the groups, and this year we are expecting to put together over MK100 million. We encourage other farmers to collaborate for the mutual benefit of all.

“We also plan to intensify irrigation farming, hence calling upon small-scale growers to join cooperatives," said Montino.

By Memory Chatonda

Blantyre, April 12, Mana: About MK710 million has been injected into the construction of Kadidi Health Centre and medical staff houses in the area of Senior Chief Kapeni in Blantyre as one way of bringing health care services closer to the people.

The facility, which is to cover a catchment population of 65,000 people in Mtema Village and surrounding areas, will start functioning by May this year, offering outpatient services, and later on, maternity services.

Speaking this week, after inspecting the facility, District Commissioner for Blantyre, Alex Mdooko, expressed satisfaction with the construction works at Kadidi.

“I am satisfied with progress of the work, and once this project is fully completed, it will be considered as one of the flagship projects in Blantyre funded by Governance to Enable Service Delivery (GESD)," he said.

According to the DC, the council through GESD is also constructing Kachanga concrete bridge at Traditional Authority (T/A) Kuntaja and a classroom block in T/A Somba with funds amounting to MK103 million and MK89.9 million respectively, saying, “All these projects are at an advanced stage towards completion.”

Commenting on Kadidi project, Senior Chief Kapeni hailed government for introducing GESD, saying projects under GESD financially support the councils in implementing infrastructural development projects that are meant to benefit the rural population.

“In our case, this health facility will provide quality health care services to my subjects and they will access the services within reach. This will help to prevent deaths,” he added.

Chairperson of the building committee at Kachanga Bridge, Elson Chikalusa, said the committee will take ownership of the infrastructure to ensure that it benefits current and future generations.

GESD is a Malawi government project which is facilitated by the National Local Government Finance Committee and is implemented by local authorities among them Blantyre District Council.

Councils access funds to implement projects through performance-based grant, which is given to each council upon passing annual Local Authority Performance Assessment.

By Charlie Ligomeka

Machinga, April 12, Mana:  People at Group Village Head Matache, Traditional Authority Mposa in Machinga South expressed gratitude over construction of Lifani Bridge, saying the new infrastructure will improve mobility and facilitate economic activities in the process.

Constructed under District Development Fund (DDF) at an approximate cost of K53 million, the bridge relieves communities’ struggles in accessing social amenities such as markets, health facilities, schools, as they did not have a reliable bridge across Lifani River.

During Malawi News Agency (Mana) recent tour of Mposa, Aisha Iddrisa from Chipalamoto Village said she recalled many bad experiences including an incident when her son fell ill with malaria, saying she had no option but to find a motorbike rider to take her to a facility in the area, Machinjiri Health Centre to avoid a risk crossing point at Lifani River.

“The rider refused to cross on what used to be Lifani Bridge as it was risky to do so. This compelled him to take me via a longer route that also called for additional fare,” she added.

She said the new bridge automatically changes things for the better compared to the situation before the new DDF bridge over Lifani River.

“We faced a lot of challenges in rainy seasons. It becomes difficult for pregnant women to brave longer routes. We had to take a longer route to access a health facility.

“It was not only time-consuming but also posed security risks. During rainy seasons, the crossing point at Lifani River proved impassable, forcing community members to take longer routes to access essential services,” she added.

She said this had negative economic bearing, stating that many farmers struggled to sell their produce for failing to cross over.

Construction of the bridge has brought relief to the community, with many residents expressing gratitude to Machinga District Council and local leaders for the new infrastructure.

"This is a significant development in our area. For years, we've been looking forward to a good bridge,” said Alex Tambala from Matache Village, at Traditional Authority Mposa.

Councilor for Mposa Ward, Cedrick Stande who championed the initiative, said construction of the bridge at Lifani River was a fulfillment of his campaign promise.

“With DDF, I thought of prioritizing needs of people in my area and this is why l thought of engaging the council to construct Lifani Bridge.

“Our area is known for abundant agricultural produce, including maize and rice, which are the backbone of our economy. The bridge has shortened distance and improved access to our markets,” he said, adding that the bridge will allow farmers to sell their produce and improve their living standards.

The Ward Council said the bridge will also be of good advantage to women and the entire community as people will be able to access essential services more easily than before.

“The bridge will promote better trade by making it easier for buyers to access farm produce,” said Shanil Hassani, a farmer in the area.

Machinga District Council, Director of Public Works, Clement Ntambo, assured the community that his office was committed to facilitate development projects at Mposa, citing the Lifani Bridge.

According to data from the Machinga District Council, the bridge has reduced travel time by 30% making it easier for community members to access essential services.