Survey shows Malawians don’t fear Covid-19 as much as hunger, healthcare collapse

Malawians are more scared of going hungry than contracting Covid-19, the strands of coronavirus pandemic, according to a survey jointly conducted by the Institute of Public Opinion and Research (Ipor) and the programme on Governance and Local Development (GLD).

The survey was conducted to gauge the public perception on Covid-19 and preliminary findings show 81 .73 percent don’t fear the virus pandemic.

Reads the survey report in part: ” The majority of Malawians are not worried about becoming infected with Covid-19. The percentage varies across districts, with the highest amount of concern in Chitipa and Karonga, on the Tanzania border, but most are not very worried.”

The survey, with a sample size of 4 078 respondents conducted between May 7 and 28 2020 says Malawians over 55 years old are the least likely to be worried about becoming infected, even though they face the greatest risk from infection.

It shows that Malawians in the Southern Region are the most likely to fear going hungry.

The findings of the survey come at a time Malawi has recorded 279 Covid-19 positive cases, including four deaths, since the the first three cases were reported on April 2 this year.

Dr John Phuka the Dean of Public Health  at the College of Medicine – a constituent college of the University of Malawi, who is also co-chairperson of the Presidential Task Force on Covid-19 said he was at pains to understand the source of perception by Malawians towards coronavirus as revelead by the survey.

The survey was conducted with financial support from Swedish Research Council.

 

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Mangochi Kabwafu
Mangochi Kabwafu
3 years ago

Nkhalamba thought that would be his route to run away from elections but has failed. He’s heading for exit door.

Sodo chinamuluma chakuda pa Malawi
Sodo chinamuluma chakuda pa Malawi
3 years ago

YES yes we are not fear because our country things not well and what we need is food, money and medication to change ,that is why we are not fear with this Corona virus.Yes we will die in numbers but with God hands tipulumuka ambili,our leaders they don’t care about us but they use us ngati makasu pokalima,So Malawi it’s our time to change this nation with our hands not for khondo but for vote that is why Malawi we are not fear ndi COVID 19.

Chekamtanda Madalitso.

Rich people fear corona than poors. Only poors hv suffering with hunger so we can’t and re-cant to fear “ka” corona yet we hv nothing to eat.

Sodo chinamuluma chakuda pa Malawi
Sodo chinamuluma chakuda pa Malawi
3 years ago

Good

Mangochi Kabwafu
Mangochi Kabwafu
3 years ago

Why should they fear something with such low mortality rate? Since April, only 4 dead (though that’s questionable too). In the same period, thousands have died of other diseases. I would rather fear malaria than covid-19 as I am sure malaria has killed more than 4 in the same time frame.

Njala mchilombo
Njala mchilombo
3 years ago

Anthu akudziwa kuti CORONA VIRUS akamwa Alovera achila. Koma Njala ilibe alternative solution.

Prof. Dr. Willem Van Cotthem

It’s a pity that not all our Malawian friends are aware of the fact that one can apply container gardening at home without any significant costs. Anyone, even all the youngsters, can grow fresh food (vegetables, herbs, fruits) all year long in containers (pots, buckets, bottles, jugs, tubs, etc.). That is a successful alternative solution for hunger and malnutrition.

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