Medical Council of Malawi chair Prof Chisi thinks Covid-19 cannot be spread at political rallies
Despite deep concerns that the mass political rallies can be potential ground for further spread of Coronavirus Medical Council of Malawi (MCM) chairperson, Professor John Chisi has justified his presence at Sunday’s Tonse Alliance mass political rally, saying COVID-19 suspects and those that are sick do not attend to rallies.
His presence at the mass rally in Lilongwe as president of Umodzi Party, which is in the Tonse Alliance, is under fire by fellow doctors, saying as leader of a supreme health body of the country, he should live by example by adhering to the preventive measures such as observance of social distancing that is being flouted at these political rallies.
It was observed that this is setting very dangerous precedence, saying this could make sense coming from a non-medical politician, not a medical doctor of Chisi’s caliber, who was once a lecturer at the College of Medicine.
One doctor put it candidly: “Let’s just prepare for the likely COVID-19 backlash to come. One can only reasonably postulate that community transmission is well underway and it’s a matter of time till we see clinical repercussions in our health facilities.
But Chisi, in his response to his action’s criticism, retorted: “Listen to what I said with sober minds without emotional outrage…we quarantine everyone who is a suspect. Sick people do not come to rallies.
“The situation is under control as we have 3 deaths and the others are recovering. These are all positives to the profession.”
When asked quizzed further as to why he did not take the opportunity to advise the gathering on importance of observing social distancing measures, Chisi said “that was not possible”.
One doctor reminded Chisi that to “say with certainty that there was no COVID” at Sunday’s rally was not correct because in the past three days there had been mass testing at Limbe Health Centre and on other Blantyre District Health Office (DHO) health workers.
“Seven people so far are positive. These were going to work normally without knowing they had COVID.
“Such people are there in our communities and it will be a bad conclusion to say that just because we have quarantines then there are no cases in the public.
“Then what’s the use of screening? And you don’t even screen [people before attending] rallies!” said the doctor, whom we cannot mention.
Chisi himself agreed to the assertion that one can’t say with certainty that there was no COVID and responded that “the only way to deal with this is to seek legal opinion on political rallies so that security agents can participate in enforcement of by-laws.”
One other doctor asked: “Have you also considered being absent from rallies altogether. It can save your professional credibility if these are the battles you will face.”
But Chisi said “rallies are what politicians do. No rallies no politics”.
Chisi then suggested that maybe there should be more testing to be done and identify those that have recovered to share their experience with the public, using them to advocate for behavioral change.
He was asked by the doctors to make that suggestion at the next political rally because there “it will carry more weight”.
“We look up to you as our ambassador, Prof. You have a special audience than most of us. Use that opportunity to educate the masses.”
He was reminded not to move with the saying ‘when in Rome do what the Romans’ while another advised him that maybe he should always start his political statements with a disclaimer: “that you have put off your medical hat and talk as a politician at the moment so that people shouldn’t take you seriously”.
The doctors are appalled at what the politicians are now doing by hold such mass gatherings yet in the first place they were in the forefront in advocating for the adherence of the preventive measures that government had put in place.
One doctor commented: “but looking at what is happening at the moment, it is difficult really to point a finger at anyone other than our politicians — they know COVID-19 is real and it is here in the country.
“They have all the knowledge of the COVID-19 but still they go ahead and conduct political rallies with large gatherings.
“Our politicians leave a lot to be desired in as far as COVID-19 fight is concerned.”
Chisi joined in by saying maybe the medical doctors missed a chance when the election case was in court, especially after the Constitutional Court ruling and when the matter was appealed for by Malawi Electoral Commission (MEC).
Chisi said he joined politics to being change the country needs, “however, politics like any other system has to be learnt and managed …and eventually we will get there”.
“What I need is your support and understanding. Levels of understanding are a challenge in politics,” he said.
Chisi, who owns Limbe Diagnostics Clinic, quit teaching at College of Medicine and sources says he should also have resigned the Medical Council chairperson.
“Medical Council is a government entity, the supreme health body of the country that licenses doctors and nurses and every health worker to practise in Malawi,” said the source.
“His presence at the rallies yesterday and following the doctors’ condemnation of his actions, clearly demonstrates that this man does not deserve to be chairperson of such a supreme health services body.
“He has been MCM chair for far took long and in my 8 years of health care life, I haven’t seen a new election or appointment apart from him,” said the source.
He added that Chisi seems he does not have any remorse in some of his an unaccepted actions harmful to the country’s health profession but it seems he cannot be impeached since such a post is the Ministry of Health.
If this is the calibre of professional and academic we have in our country, then it is no wonder our nation fails to make any meaningful progress.
If this was another profession, he would be barred.
This is not acceptable.
You are meant to guide and advise the nation professionally.
Professor Chisi, why not just accept your mistake and apologize? Because even toddlers know that you have goofed here. Failing to advise the organizers of the rally against holding it was a mistake. Your presence was an even bigger mistake. But using the kind of reasoning that you are advancing to defend yourself is dangerous not only to yourself but to the nation as a whole. And you are the head of the highest medical body in Malawi? We need immediate replacement!
Blame should go to Peter Munthalika who has the power and authority to implement the new strategies, leave Chisi alone!
IMPEACMENT BASI
Kkkkkkkkk another madness of professors kkkkk Koma ma prolofesalawa chimakhala chitani abale kuchuluka kwa ubongo chani😂😂😂😂😂😀
Can someone inform this learned doctor that most of the COVID-19 transmission is through asymptomatic people i.e. people that have not gotten sick yet? Now with the mediocre testing numbers we have of 0.01%, we definitely can’t keep track of these asymptomatic cases and that’s the danger. Yeah, I agree wouldn’t feel comfy now going to such a doctor for sure. And these low death toll and infection nimbers are because we are not testing enough not that the pandemic is not widespread no.
Prof.Chisi is quite correct when ever he talks about distancing . Atupele was the first person to cause similar gatherings and these so called doctors never said a word but because its Chilima the same doctors say nyo nyo nyo Pitani kwina mukafune ntchito we dont care.
kudos chisi
Prof Chisi stupidity epitomises the foolishness of TONSE alliance leaders – from Chakwera to Chilima. They are in the category of idiots like Trump who doubted about the spread of Covid but now USA is having the highest deaths. Another one is Tanzania’s Magufuli who has been exposed as a fool.
I am not a medical man but three deaths since Japie, on behalf of DPP/APM, started scaring us gives some encouragement that the situation is not that dire. In fact the fictitious number of those affected would have been much lower were Japie and his team intensified vigilance at borders by quarantying those entering the country.
Chisi is right.
Looks like people are more afraid of having APM and his DPP gangsters running government affairs than COVID 19.
True look in one week the Dpp sponsored terror has killed the same number of Malawians through petrol bombing and left three orphans, the same number killed by coronavirus but since April 2 . So true, if this ethnic government is not booted out now, genocide more than the Rwandan one is inevitable and I don’t think coronavirus in Malawi will be able to commit the kind of genocide that DPP is capable of carrying out.
And he has lab services. Sindidzapitakonso. Can’t trust you sorry.
Nkhala uzafa wekha olo usazapiteko Chisi akudandaule iweyo??
Amwene ndikubvomerezana naye mkuluyo kuti asadzapitekonso angayambe kukataya boyo wakedi. I don’t trust home either. Kuli madotolo ambiri ku Malawi kuno osati you Professor Chisi who is mentally challenged now
Yes, Chisi has a mental problem. People can go to his clinic at their own risk
His services r total garbage. don’t go to that lab again brotherman.
kkkkkk nde who cares if you dont go?
A point of correction please! Doctors are not messiahs. Doctors are busy creating moral panic in communities, yet we have malaria, TB, Cancer, HIV/AIDs, etc. Tell your Jappie to be also announsing people who have died of TB, Malaria, HIV, etc. Do just threaten people in the Name of Doctors. Doctors of What? Just because you are milking money with your Jappie. There is a covid-19 in Malawi, and has come to stay like other diseases we are living with them. Therefore, to hell with you moral panic theory!!!
HE IS MISLEADING THE PUBLIC. Mfiti. This man knows that when life goes cannot be retrieved . And he is talking rubbish here. HE MUST RESIGN AS CHAIR OF MEDICAL COUNCIL. What an imbecile
Should under go through mental check up.
Tell Jane Ansah to resign first b4 Chisi.
Let Jane Ansah and all commissioners of MEC resign first. His expertly date is still in due time sorry no resignation to professor chisi.
Just sack him, Prof. Chisi must not be Chair of Medical Council, speaking as he does! He is a danger to the nation in the midst of Covid19 pandemic.
Haiwe suzgo do you really think there is covid19 if the same government and opposition leaders including every individual doing their normal life as usual? Madness at its best 😂😂😂 level.
This man is a maniac and useless.
Propagator sorry I wanted to say Professor Chisi wewamwana coming to stoop that low just because you want ehhh if Tonse assumes power. Last time according to Nyasatimes a certain lawyer said and I quote the covid message is not getting good reception because the messenger once Lord to Malawian on the death of Bingu (MHSRIP). Now proffesor do you think people will believe you when you tell them of some communicanle dieseses. You have fisgraced the profgesion and if at all you hold any posion here or abroad please resigm you are worse than Trump. All professional the world over arw even sacref to resuming football games and UFC has resumed less spectators. Last go to hell with your stinking lies
nice one. Open schools then, COVID-19 suspects and those that are sick do not attend to classes.
To my view, bad governance is more deadly and dangerous than Covid 19. As of now only 3 people have died of covid 19, how many people have dead due to lack of essential drugs in our hospitals and hunger as result of bad and evil kind of leadership. How many people have been killed and no legal action taken against the suspected killer. Prof. work extra hard to uproot this evil government thst has plunder our had earned resources and killed our beloved ones
Unitu mmutu mwanu nwazaza ziphwisi.why should people die of Covid when it easily avoidable especially to the elderly and those with weak immune due to conditions that are not their fault.zamakhwala kuchipatala even in USA that happens.
This is always the problem of playing politics. Civil servants should not be in politics. If they decide to be politicians, then they should resign from official government positions. Ask any lawyer, this is conflict of interest. How many covid-19 carriers are in the community? All of sudden, Malawi knows so much more about the disease than the WHO and advanced countries buckled by the tens of thousand deaths. This is not just the blind leading the blind; its becoming the blind and dumb trying to lead everyone! Where to, we all know!
Is Chisi a medical Doctor? Where did he get his doctorate? Za China tu izi. How cld he say u can’t get Covid at Politicsl rallies? Doesn’t he know one can be asymptomatic but still transmit Covid? This is sad and worrisome. Covid 19 is real people. Even the whole Vice President encouraged rally attendees to hug each other since According to him , no Tonse alliance members could get or transmit the disease. My heart bleeds. Cry my beloved Malawi. The Country is on Fireeeee.
As much as we agree to what the doctors are arguing; about availability of covid-19 active people; but its also possible that no one could be positive.
Uja anakwera bus from salima was asymptomatic and infected others. This man is useless
These are Chamba smokers
This man needs to go back to school; For someone in such an important position he is ignorant. Covid-19 can be spread by someone who is not showing any symptoms. Any mass gathering, political or otherwise, is an ideal opportunity to transmit the disease. Most European countries have been and are practising social distancing and still the disease is being passed around. This so called professor is clearly not qualified to speak authoritatively on the subject of Covid-19.
Being a Dr in name only. School yoloweza mmutu mulibe kanthu.