Association for Malawian Midwives bemoans eviction of nurses from houses over Covid-19

Association for Malawian Midwives (AMAMI) has appealed to community and faith leaders to take steps in condemning attacks and stigmatization of healthcare workers over fears of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) infection to the communities.

The association says it has received complaints from nurses and midwives that some landlords are evicting them from their houses while some citizens are calling them names in public spaces.

AMAMI president Dr Ann Phoya feared in an interview with Nyasa Times on Saturday that the attacks and stigmatization may eventually demotivate the already strained healthcare workers.

“We are very sad that communities have decided to stigmatize against the health workers because they are taking care of the COVID-19 patients. The communities should not forget that COVID-19 patients are their own; they come from their homes and we are here to help them,” said Phoya.

“So, it is very unfortunate that they are evicting nurses and midwives from their houses. We are hoping that community leaders, chiefs and faith leaders and government will talk to the people that health workers know what to do to protect themselves and preventing spread of infection,” she added.

Phoya also asked government and other stakeholders such as the media to help in creating awareness about the virus and providing information that can help in arraying the anxiety of the community that health workers are spreading COVID-19 to the communities.

Chairperson of the Ministerial Committee on COVID-19 Response and Minister of Health, Jappie Mhango, also confirmed recently that some landlords are forcing healthcare workers out of their houses, fearing they [healthcare workers] will spread the virus to their compounds.