Zion Church warned against stopping sick members from visiting hospitals
M’mbelwa District Council has warned Zion Church leaders at Chikangawa against stopping their Church members living with HIV and Aids from seeking medical help in hospitals but take concoction administered at the Church.
The warning comes amid recent reports that three people died while receiving treatment at the Zion Church.
The Church does not allow their sick members to go to hospital instead the leaders administer prayer and concoction made from a mixture of Chombe Tea and First Choice Milk.
M’mbelwa District Council Aids Coordinator Frank Mfune confirmed the death reports saying the council is aware of the malpractice at the Zion Church.
He said following the death reports, the district’s Aids coordinating committee met with the Church leaders to reason with them.
“We indeed got reports of the malpractices and that a mother died while receiving treatment at the Church and when the leaders noted of the amiss they rushed with the body to Raiply Health Clinic in Chikangawa,” Mfune said.
“We asked the Zion Church leaders to stop administering herbal medicine to people or face police action,” he added.
Chairperson for District Interfaith Aids Committee (DIAC) Amin Mwamlima said as Church they always advise people to go to hospital because Churches deal with the spiritual and not the physical human side.
Mwamlima further said restricting members from attending hospital services is against the laws of Malawi.
One of the Zion Church leaders, who refused to be named, admitted to administer concoction to their sick members saying it is their belief that they can get cured.