Atupele holds Chakwera to account on Covid-19 speech: Says Malawi govt not serious with  pandemic

United Democratic Front (UDF) leader Atupele Muluzi has released 11 points to underline that President Lazarus Chakwera’s government is not committed in the fight against Covid-19, the strands for coronavirus pandemic.

President Chakwera addressed the nation Saturday where  he updated the nation on how his government is working to contain the contagion.

However, writing on his Facebook account on Sunday, Atupele has taken issue with the speech, saying Chakwera’s government is not concerned about the virus pandemic  because, up to now, they have not allocated any funds for Covid-19 fight in the national budget.

The UDF leader further showed that, in comparison, the DPP administration did better in fighting the pandemic than the incumbent Tonse Alliance government.

For instance, Atupele , who once served as Minister of Health, noted that DPP administration established up to 41 sites for testing across the country but today only 11 of these sites have testing kits.

He further said the DPP administration had initiated risk allowances for all health workers, something the new government is not showing signs to implement.

“The DPP administration had set aside 6.2 Billion Malawi Kwacha to cushion low income urban dwellers with social cash transfers.

“The Tonse Alliance has removed this showing how much it does not appreciate the economic impact of COVID-19 on the poor Malawian, who live on hand-to mouth and depend on small businesses for their daily living,” he said.

Here are some of the points he has raised:

• A presidential task force full of cabinet ministers was appointed in DPP government time but it was demeaned. This government has done the same, on what moral basis were they disparaging the previous government?
• We are now seeing increasing teenage pregnancies across the country. This means socioeconomically we will see a less empowered girl-child and we are not seeing how the government is taking care of these issues. What plans are there to make sure girls are back to school or are exposed to school environment even in time of Covid-19 as we are in?

• The DPP led government provided money for the procurement of medical equipment for COVID-19 isolation sites, such as ventilators, oxygen cylinders, patient monitors and newly opened oxygen gas plant at QECH and the gas plant underway in KCH…. these are DPP led initiatives, we want to see what the new government will do.
• It is not clear how the coordination for COVID fight is being handled. Is it DoDMA, is it OPC or some hired officer to do the work? Without clearly defining the coordinating office, the battle is almost lost.