MCP threats affect healthcare staff visit coronavirus hotspot: Mayor asks communities in Lilongwe to allow tests
Frontline healthcare workers on Friday failed to go to Kaliyeka area, the coronavirus hotspot in the capital Lilongwe after the opposition Malawi Congress Party (MCP) issued threats that its members would burn vehicles and beat up the staff.
The healthcare workers were supposed to go to the area to trace at least 40 people who were believed to be in contact with a person who recently died of coronavirus in the area.
At least 10 other people have already tested positive.
Lilongwe District Health Office says it will only deploy it’s staff to collect samples from Kaliyeka after the MCP political leadership in the area assures them of their security.
Lilongwe DHO has particularly asked MP for the area Ulemu Msungama to go back to the community and clarify his earlier post which had initially doubted the authenticity of Covid-19 results in the area.
Msungama is named as the person who allegedly organised the MCP hooligans to stop the healthcare workers from doing their job.
A stakeholders meeting was held at Lilongwe Civic Center where relevant stakeholders; DHO, the MP, Lilongwe City Council, Police and Makawi Defence Force (MDF) are meeting to find a way on how to deal with issues in Kaliyeka.
Two other MCP members of parliament; Esther Kathumba and Monica Chang’anamuno went to the High Court to stop the government from implementing the lockdown.
Kathumba told Zodiak Broadcasting Station that coronavirus does not exist in the country.
Meanwhile, Joseph Msambathukuta Chasweka, the director of Chilinde Health Services (commonly called 24 hours clinic) where the victim visited, said the victim, Mr Dudha visited the clinic.
“It is true he visited our clinic and upon realising that his condition was deteriorating, he was referred to bigger facility for further investigations and treatment,” he said.
The clinician said communication to Covid-19 team was made and reaction was quick
“Within 24 hours,communication was done to us through Ministry of Health that the patient tested positive to covid 19and was communicated as a focal person directly and by then his name was all over
“Within 24 hours again news about his death spread rapidly especially within his community,” he said.
He said the Covid 19 team responded within an hour to collect the samples of family members and their immediate contacts plus advise on how to avoid further spread.
The clinician said more than 40 people arrived for the tests at his place but because of pressure and time they only managed to collect 28 samples of which 10 came positive, saying the rest were advised to come following day.
“All health workers of 24 hours clinic who had contact with the patient were advised to go for quarantine,to wait for five days sample to be collected for testing.”
He said the healthcare workers went there on Thursday and they disinfected the clinic plus surroundings areas.
However, with the threats, they could not go back on Friday.
At the time of going online, Director of Health Services Alinafe Mbewe has suggested that when the team goes for testing in Kaliyeka they should be accompanied by Msungama.
Meanwhile, Lilongwe City Council Mayor Juliana Kaduya has appealed to all those who tested positive in Kaliyeka as announced by government to follow all guidelines as advised by medical personnel.
Kaduya told reporters at a news conference in Lilongwe which followed a stakeholders meeting meant to find a way forward on the issue to do with Kaliyeka.
The Mayor has further asked communities in Lilongwe to allow health workers do their work without fear of attack.
Members of Parliament in Lilongwe City George Zulu, Alfred Jiya, Nancy Tembo and Msungama have urged all communities in Lilongwe to follow precautionary measures to prevent the spread of the virus.
The MPs have also asked health personnel to always ensure that those infected are informed first before government makes an announcement to the general public.
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DHO please leave this area, let the knowledgeable MP support them. Instead of encouraging them to test, he tells them rubbish. People should put lives of people first, not their political position during this pandemic.
Childish , someone says the 10 people
you claim to have coronavirus were not tested,then someone insists that they were tested. Stupid government, stupid health officials and coronavirus cases.
Msungama is the stupidest MP. What does he say now WHO and CDC have backed the corona-virus results as correct. MCP should be ashamed.
Ulemu Msungama must resign. His careless political propaganda has costed many innocent lives in his constituency. Except many Covid-19 victims from his constituency. Amalawi anzanu akamva kulira kwa mfuti amathawa inu busy kuthamangila
Malawi Wa Lero, The word is ‘Blame’ and not ‘Braim’
Maso asatokhala pa Dyera la Ndalama za Covid ….If you look at Countries which are Serious eg America community Leaders are in the Forefront Kuyambira ma Mayor ,Governors ….these are the People that know their Communities and Know how to pass on the Messages …Councillors,Mayor’s ,MPs …You can Never fight an Epidemic like this One using a Centralised Approach….Unless of course you want to play politics
…..
Are u really familiar with federal system of government ya ku USA. A govenor for a state is by all means managing an economy 100 times larger than the whole Malawi. As it were if Africa was a federal system Muntharika would is equivalent to governor of Malawi. Considering the vastness of the USA and their federal system it makes rational sense to have governors for each state managing the affairs of that particular state.
Penapaketu a Malawi anzanga mumazakaikitsansitu
Kunguloweza Zinthu Basi ,sukulu tinapita kukaganiza ….Are u familiar with Decentralisation ….DC wina aliyense Ali ndi nduna zake education,health…. Ndipo district Ina iriyonse iri ndi ka parliament where Councillors are Like MPs ….Same Concept ya Federation..
Msungama mukufuna kuphesa anthu akwanu chifukwa cha ndale. How will you feel after many people dies because of your behaviour?
Health workers dont go there again. Let Mp msungama face the real COVID 19 for he was taking himself clever. Remember 1 person can spread to more than 69 people in a single day. But you are busy with politics while its the same people dying or affected you will need them to go and vote in your political will. More🔥🔥🔥COVID 19 there in kaliyeka because you will now know whom to braim
Ndie Utowona ngati Munthu waku Chikwawa uja Anatokwera Ndege from South Africa ndikukasikira kumuzi kwao ….We heard nothing about His Contacts .I hope all Contacts have been Traced …..All Stakeholders must be Involved Parliamentarians ,Councillors ,MDF ,Police ndi a Prison Omwe…If we had a Serious Government all stakeholders could have been Involved from the beginning Osati Zinthu kufika pomaombera mfuti ,mkumenyana makofi ….Chifukwa cha Ombombo wa Covid Money ….
Talking as if he knew what he was talking about. Osamangotsutsa mukuonetsa umbuli
You can not Fight Corvid without Community Leaders Especially with the Way you have been Communicating the Messages about the Disease …Ngati kuti If someone is Positive kwake kwatha….Msungama was Right to go to the Clinic and Request that it be Closed …. We all heard here about that Family from Nkhotakota living in Fear that some people want to Burn their House ….because kuli munthu wa Corona …Sinanga mumati Tifa Tonse tizole phulusa
Stupid Mps
Through out the whole article i’ve picked up only one point ” PEOPLE WHO ARE INFECTED SHOULD BE INFORMED FIRST BEFORE GOVERNMENT MAKES AN ANNOUNCEMENT TO THE GENERAL PUBLIC”. Should we say that’s the genisis of all misinformations and misundertandings we’ve come across the past few days? If YES then it needs to be sorted-out as in yesterday, but if Msungama is playing deliberate stupid politics with innocent people’s lives then he should know ” every DOG is got its day” and that day is coming for him.
Chonde tetezani moyo wa anthu
Chakwera adauza osatila akr kuti azichita ndi anthu osawadIwa akawapeza mdela lawo ndipo asawapitise Ku police. Mufunilanji umboni pazomwe zikuchitika zopha anthu osalakwa mdziko kuno? MCP nde imene ikukolezela chisawawa chokupha anthu kuwaganizila kuti ndi opopa magazi, kudera la MCP anthu ogwira ntchito za ulimi anamenyedwa Ku Mchinji, MCP chipani chankhanza a Malawi dzukani vote siwupasa anthu ngati amenewa. Votani mwanzeru pa 2 July
Mcp the party of death and darkness. These people are very preoccupied with politics
Zio ine, you can say that again and again. What they are thinking of is ruling this country through means that are not widely accepted and unconstitutional, zaavuta because people know who MCP is and let me reiterate, they should forget of going into government, apo ndiye aiwale. This is a party as you pointed out, of death and darkness. It will take time for people who have gone through their era to forget what they did and are still doing today. Thats how MCP looses, akulimbana ndi ndale instead of showing people they care, anzao are scoring points, akaluza, aziti atibera.
That’s typical MCP . THEY ARE ONLY THINKING ABOUT CHAKWERA AND NOTHING ELSE.MEC,NRB, POLICE, DOCTORS,UN,US AND ALL ORGANIZATION ARE BAD EXCEPT MTAMBO AND HIS FRIENDS ARE GOOD. CAN YOU SEE IS MTAMBO AND FRIENDS SAYING ANYTHING ON THIS. YOU CAN JUDGE YOUSELVES. A CHILIMA NAWO KUPUPULUMA ALI DU
Agalu a mcp awa
Mcp does not care about lives of people, they are doing this deliberately in order to achieve their political objectives. This party can’t change. They haven’t repented from their past atrocities like sending letter bomb which amputated Dr attati mpakati hands in Lusaka before they tracked and killed him in Harare. Relentless pursuit of their opponents. They bombed house of mkwapatira Mhango in kusaka killing his 2 wives and four children. Some of us can never vote for mcp because we see clearly their ways are far from changed. They are democratic yes but their hard hearts are still scary
If we continue politicizing the coronavirus pandemic, we will soon realize the significance of paying close attention to this deadly disease after many lives lost. This is real and has taken many lives around the world, don’t we still understand? How many people died in the USA right now? Its very unfortunate seeing politics under this disease. We are preparing for the worse if we don’t change.
Wise men say only fools rush in where angels fear to tread
Shaaa Congress kufuna kupitiliza kupha anthu.Mukalowa m’mboma muzanyonga angati nanga ng’ona muweta zingati.
Mayo Mayo Mayo Congress itiphesa iyi.Wawatchout chipani cha magazi.
I think Nsundwe Barrax should re-do those tests, and report the resurts to that MP. If they are postive he should hide them and continue politicising the disease.
This Congress has been playing dirty all the time, now its a pa back time, the dysease is right there at your nose.
You will soon beg for the same unconditional lockdown that you protested.
Feal it the disease is there