President Lazarus Chakwera says as novel coronavirus cases escalate, Malawians should be optimistic that the disease will one day be history.
In his Day 18 Tonse Government report, Dr Chakwera says the COVID-19 recoveries have exceeded 1000 meaning that God will one day take away the pandemic and he has hailed medical workers for their tireless efforts to manage the disease.
“As a nation, we have now registered over 1000 recoveries from COVID-19. Though this remarkable story remains largely untold, owing to human nature’s proclivity to fake news and bad news, what that story teaches us is that for most people who contract the virus, there is life after COVID-19,”
“It further teaches us that the efforts of our hospitals and health workers in providing treatment to the sick are not in vain,” he says.
Dr Chakwera has however asked Malawians to keep following all the precautionary measures to win the battle against novel coronavirus pandemic.
“Now, the likelihood of recovery for anyone infected does not mean you can afford to get complacent in taking preventive measures to protect yourself and others from the virus. But it does mean you should refuse to turn your vigilance into paranoia or paralysis and refuse to respond to any confirmed case with despair or despondency,” he says.
The state president says Government is optimistic of wining the fight against the disease.
“My Administration’s response to the pandemic is fueled by hope, the kind that has two trademarks. Firstly, ours is a hope that energises us to work hard and work smart in stopping the virus from spreading or claiming lives,”
“To advance that work, this past week I have appointed Hon. Chiponda as Minister of Health with a mandate to provide the needed leadership to the health sector in general and the Presidential Taskforce on Covid-19 in particular; I have reconstituted the Taskforce itself and will be reviewing its effectiveness on a weekly basis to ensure that expert advice from the scientific community is brought to bear on its work,” he says.
Chakwera says he has committed to personally give the nation an update on the state of our fight against the pandemic every fortnight, which will coincide with his weekly address on emerging national issues.
He also says Government has established an office within the presidency exclusively dedicated to the fight against the disease.