Malawi should turn idle state residences as Covid-19 quarantine centers – Chilima

Malawi government should  consider turning the idle state residences as quarantine centers for those contracting coronavirus (Covid-19), State vice-president Saulos Chilima has said.

Zomba State House: Chilima says this can be used as isolation centre other than lying idle

As it stands, the Malawi President has access of stay to six residences which include Kamuzu Palace in Lilongwe as the official residence,  Mtunthama Residence in Lilongwe, Mzuzu State Lodge, Sanjika Palance in Blantyte, Zomba State House and Chikoko Bay in Mangochi.

But addressing a news conference on Covid-19 in Lilongwe, Chilima said with increasing number of people texted with Covid-19, it means that Malawi  now has “a real risk of community transmission.”

“We must change our testing protocols and expand tracing and testing of community contacts,” he said.

He said government should consider designating the idle state lodges as facilities for quarantine on Covid-19.

“I am talking about Zomba, Mudi, Area 12, Mzuzu and Mtunthama,” he said.

Mudi in Blantyre is the house which is meant for vice-president when he is in Blantyre while Area 12 Residence for the vice-president, Chilima is not using it as he stays at his private residence.

Mtunthama is also vacant as  President Peter Mutharika stays at the official sprawling Kamuzu Palace.

Zomba State House remains idle and there were suggestions government would turn it into a military hospital but the project has stalled.

Chilima also said  apart from three testing centres,  2 in Blantyre and 1 Lilongwe, the  country needs  more testing centres.

“Another one in Mzuzu to carter for our brothers and sisters in the North. And another one in Mangochi to carter for our brothers and sisters in the Eastern Region,” said Chilima.

Chilima said this should be considered as “time of war, a war against an invisible enemy, the coronavirus.”

Covid-19 has rapidly spread from China to European countries and the United States of America, and global cases have exceeded 1.4 million. The number of deaths, however, is still rising.

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Alex mgeni
Alex mgeni
3 years ago

If we decide to put all issues aside, there is alot of sense in this guy.

Moya
Moya
3 years ago

Mmh! First of all the numbers/statistics of infected and potential patients under covid19 are overwhelming the state residents won’t even be of much help at all… the country needs to construct big warehouse like hospitals. Something that can be constructed fast and not so expensive to house all that are infected, in all regions. Right now high chances are that the covid 19 patients will mix up with regular patients at the general hospitals before doctors/ nurses figure out the real diagnosis.

Chiswa B
Chiswa B
3 years ago

Kodi uyuyu mesa amati ndi state vice president? Nde why is he telling this to his boss via press conference?

IG MWAPASA
3 years ago
Reply to  Chiswa B

your useless and headless president ask him why he does not want to have an audience with him, why?

Rahim
Rahim
3 years ago

yes I agree with Mr chima if it’s needed good idea coz they are not using it, only those that they are not using

Jehu
Jehu
3 years ago

Hahahahaha kikikiki, the VP trying to steer start debate about presidential residences. Problem is he is hiding behind Covid19. I think it’s not inorder to turn state residences into corona hospitals especially since at the moment, we have only 8 confirmed cases.

I am mindful that call by skc may be politically popular for a little while, but the whole idea seems designed for chilima to benefit from Covid19 which is very stupid thing to do. The virus isn’t and shouldn’t be turned into a matter for political debate.

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