Doctors say too early to ban handshake, gatherings in Malawi over coronavirus

March 16, 2020 Owen Khamula - Nyasa Times 28 Comments

Medical Society of Malawi president Amos Nyaka says it is too early for Malawi to ban public gatherings and handshake greetings in the wake of coronavirus that has hit South Africa and other countries.

Amos Nyaka, the society’s president,  (right) says too early to ban handshake in Malawi

Nyaka said this on Zodiak Broadcasting Station just a day after state vice president Saulos Chilima called for strict measures to prevent the disease saying people should do knee high or elbow to elbow greetings instead of handshake greetings.

But Nyaka said it is too early to put in place those measures.

“It is premature to start observing strict measures such as the ban of public gatherings. This disease is not yet here so no need to panic,” he said.

Chief director in the ministry of Health Charles Mwansambo said the current preventive measures are enough to deal with the situation as of now.

Mwansambo said there are 170 people in coronavirus quarantine whom he said are monitored by government health officials.

“The preventive measures are enough as of now. We have not yet reached where we can stop people from shaking hands,” he said.

This comes at a time when people are accusing the government of not doing enough to prevent the disease.

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28 replies on “Doctors say too early to ban handshake, gatherings in Malawi over coronavirus”

  3. I am so ashamed on what these two medical doctors have so far said.Its really sad and most of all, pathetic without understanding how deadly the virus is. Its known across the world what this disease is causing in all sectors of the economy. And one stands out and say we should not put those handshakes into practice because its not yet registered here. What a shame? Or is it the reporter who did not record properly what these two doctors said? No, the reporter did his job correctly! I am very much ashamed by these two doctors, in fact, they were not even the professionals who were supposed to respond to the questions, Owen, you should have gone to the Public Health professionals, like me, we should have given you the right and proper answers and the ones made to protect every individual in the country. As most commentators have said, prevention is better than cure. Malawi does not need to wait for the first case, its time to act now. After all, we dont have adequate facilities to cope if the positive cases surge in the country. Chilima was right, thats the way forward osati zimene akulankhula a Medical Society ndi a Mwansambo, za ziii. You have demonstrated to the nation that you dont have enough information in regards to what is happening across the globe. Read about China, South Korea, Japan, Italy, UK and US just to mention a few on what they are currently doing and what they regret not to have done before the virus struck.

  4. It is never too late to prepare for what the WHO has declared as pandemic. Malawi is playing with fire. It is insanely DANGEROUS!!

  5. Am a Malawian living in a country locked down due to Coronavirus. Mr Doctor Sir, this is not phada, tidzayilira nthawi yoteleyi. This is a good time to sensitize preventive measures. Mukati too early ndekuti chani pamene people are still going out and coming in from the affected countries. People are dying including health professionals. This is as good as disaster preparedness, do you wait for the disaster to strike then start preparing. Adokotala inu mwandimvetsa chisoni nkaganiza m’mene other countries are struggling. We don’t have enough resources and you are talking like that. I love my country, if you don’t want to work resign so others can do the work. Think of many people in the village, they need information right now. God forgive us.

  8. Dr Nyaka, whatever crap you are smoking is not doing you any good, drop it and flush it in the toilet, damn it!

  12. I think it will be good decision to cancel this year’s pending election because people’s lives will be at great risk, Malawian are not informed enough and the government is not that strict and that will cost people’s lives. You can’t wait for somebody to die to act, that is cruel and barbaric, imagine if the one who will be infected is your own child will you still say it is not necessary to panic. The disease is already here and the only way to prevent from catching it is to put strict measures.

  15. This thing is a cartel – Doctors in Malawi and Medical Insurance companies want the virus to come to Malawi so they can launder money through dubious business deals of medical equipment. That is why this so called doctor is saying all this rubbish. Meanwhile the big man at state house has gone to sleep again on this one. No sense of urgency. Koma kankhalamba kameneka…

  16. Akulu’wa was high (on some stuff) when he gave the press conference. Me thinks…

    Besides, what do we lose if we ban handshakes (or unnecessary gatherings)? It’s not that the other person will get offended if you do not shake their hand! Someone in the know will understand this is a (temporary) precautionary measure put in place to help protect everyone exclusive of whether one is affected or not.

    If he is a medical doctor, he should understand that the symptoms of the virus only appear several days after one contracts it. A seemingly “okay” person could have it and they would be spreading it even before they know they have contracted it – that is one reason the virus bad news.

    He must get his facts right before trying to mislead the whole nation.

  17. Really? You want to ban handshakes when people start getting infected? What load of rubbish coming from a doctor! Not banning gathering I can understand, but handshakes? We lose nothing by banning handshakes.

    1. I agree with you. Countries who have all the resources are prohibiting handshakes and gatherings yet some Dr Know It All from a poor country that relies much on donor aid argues that its too early to introduce such measures. Its sad. Really sad..

  18. You want to be reactive and not proactive? Mukufuna anthu adwale kaye ndiye tiyambe kupewa? Chanzelu ndichani kuyambiratu njira zopewera anthu asanadwale ndizanu zopusa mukunenazi? Chizungu cha prevention is better than cure munamvako?

  19. Makina oyesela sanayambe kugwila ntchito koma mwamanga kale mfundo yakuti nthenda sinafikepo, how

  21. Well am not a medical practitioner, but I disagree. Do you want us to be infected first then ban handshakes or Gatherings? are you not the ones who preach to us that prevention is better than Cure? my thinking I feel it is better to sensitize people now because you never know if the virus is already here or not. WHEN DID YOU ACQUIRE THE TESTING equipment? how many people have crossed borders without being screened?STOP Playing with our lives.

  22. Anyone who is following international news on COVID 19 would tell you that what Nyaka is saying is extremely bad advice; it’s almost criminal. Did Nyaka do his medicine through a correspondence college? Many countries which are suffering such as Italy, Iran and the USA are doing so precisely because of attitudes like that of Nyaka: They delayed in taking the necessary precautions. It’s NEVER too early to take precautions for COVID 19 because the nature of this disease is such that it circulates silently BEFORE the first case is confirmed in a country.

    It is gratifying to note that many Malawians have already stopped the practice of handshakes. The 3 countries I have mentioned have world class health facilities, yet they are finding it difficult to cope with the scale of the disease. Imagine when this virus comes to Malawi (it’s only a matter of time) with our DPP depleted health facilities. Are we going to survive? STOP HANDSHAKES RIGHT NOW!!!!! Let’s follow the examples of Rwanda and Kenya and be pro-active…

  23. Whaaat? Amazing how short-sighted Malawian doctors can be. It is public knowledge that this fatal virus is now steadily spreading across Africa and that it is already in our SADC sub-region. Do these doctors not know anything about the benefits of early preparation and early action? To fail to prepare is to prepare to fail and in this case due to myopia. Shame on Malawians. Time for behavioral change is now and now!

  24. Iwe NYAKA and your foolish friend Mwansambo, your stupid fools, you have been sent to discredit Dr Chilima, isn’t it? All these measures were there even before Chilima commented on this issue
    .

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