United Purpose ( UP), has responded positively to the calls made by Dowa District Health Office ( DHO) to support it with funds and supplies to prevent and fight Corona virus pandemic in the district.
District Health Officer ( DHO) for Dowa, Dr. Peter Makoza, informed members of the District Response Team on Covid- 19 that his office is looking for support from partners to help it prevent the virus and treat cases in the event of an outbreak.
Dr. Makoza disclosed to the members that his office has no equipment to conduct the tests and to prevent transmission saying his office needed to get ready for Covid-19 cases following President Peter Mutharika’s announcement on 2nd April, 2020, that Malawi had registered three cases.
Speaking during a District Public Health Emergency Management Committee ( PHEMC) meeting held at the boma, United Purpose Project Manager, Hilary Mnjemu,said his organization is ready to partner with Dowa District Council and join the fight against Covid-19 pandemic.
“Covid-19 is preventable through precautionary measures such as avoiding body contact and hand shaking,” he said.
Mnjemu said his organization would support the district to conduct hygiene awareness campaigns, procure buckets and soap for hand washing, and chlorine for disinfection.
He said his organization would also provide funds to support orientation meetings for health workers in the district .
The Project Manager said UP has set aside MK11,531,341.89 to procure Covid-19 prevention materials and MK8,942,435 for health workers orientation and community sensitization campaign from the total budget of MK20,473,776.
He said the money will be directed towards procurement of chlorine powder, hand washing facilities and soap, mobile public address system on hygiene sensitization, IEC materials and airing jingles on community radio stations, among others .
District Health Promotion Officer for Dowa, Davie Nuka, pleaded with UP to divert part of the money allocated to the procurement of chloride powder to Personal Protective Equipments( PPE) and orientation of the health personnel so that they should not panic when visited by a Covid-19 case in their respective health facilities.
In his remarks, District Commissioner for Dowa, Alex Mdooko, thanked United Purpose for a timely response towards Covid-19 cases, expressing hope that other partners will still come in to support the district.
Mdooko asked partners to assist training of the health personnel in their catchment areas saying this will make all areas including the hard to reach ones in the district to be reached out very easily with one message.
