Malawi records 10 cases, 2 deaths of combined TB and Covid-19
The National TB Control Program (NTP) said it has recorded less than 10 cases with 2 deaths from tuberculosis (TB) and coronavirus since the declaration of Covid-19 as a national disaster in March this year.
NTP Deputy Prigram Manager, Isiahs Dambe told the media during an Update Meeting on TB and Covid-19 in Mangochi during the weekend that nationwide the program has reported lower cases of both tb and coronavirus than anticipated.
“This has come because of a number of interventions put in place by NTP as well as prevention measures announced by government including stay at home,wearing masks, social distancing and washing hands among others,” he said.
He added that the figure is a good news to the nation as the whole world has been fearing that tb patients could be victims of Covid-19 because they share common symptoms and signs.
Both diseases affect the lungs and the organ’s efficiency is compromised making the patient more difficult to breathe thereby leading to death.
As soon as government announced the measures, he said, the program also informed its front line staff at both district and facility level to allow patients stay at home for 3 months and supply them with drugs to take them through that period instead of regular visits.
However, he said, NTP is optimistic that the country is aproaching towards achieving the world target of 2030.
Follow and Subscribe Nyasa TV :
The language is now coming coming clear. Now the truth is coming out. the number of deaths were misrepresented, most death were from underlining illness not necessarily Covid-19. stoke, HIV, Diabetis, cancer, all these caused deaths.
it’s an opportunistic killer like HIV. considering that Malawi has 12% HIVpositive people we should be weary. other African countries are already on the brink of a second wave.