At Chilumba, cholera hits even the youngest

Seeing her jovially skip around her parent’s home, it is difficult to imagine that just two weeks ago, two-year-old Mwanaisha Munthali was on the verge of death.

When the cholera outbreak broke out at Chilumba in Karonga, it first hit Mwainisha’s elder sister Manice in her family so severely that she had to be rushed to Chilumba Health Centre where she was admitted for treatment.

The following day, Mwainisha’s mother carried her on the back to the hospital to cheer up Manice. Sadly, while playing around the ward where her sister was admitted, Mwainisha contracted cholera and got admitted to the hospital as well.

Mwainisha’s father, Elmon, says his daughters’ week-long admission at the hospital offered his family an important lesson in hygiene.

“When we were being discharged, the nurses gave us very important advice on hygiene, especially in an environment where one has children,” he said.

Since her discharge, little Mwainisha is back to her normal playful self, skipping around joyously with her siblings and neighbours.

“She is very healthy and playful now,” a visibly relieved Elmon noted.

At Chilumba Health Centre, another two-year-old Gladys Milanzi is not over the bend yet despite making significant improvements.

Gladys was admitted to the facility when she fell sick after having a nsima and usipa dish. Of the group that ate the meal, it is only her who fell sick.

“She had severe diarrhoea and was vomiting when we brought her here. She is stabilising now after receiving treatment,” her grandmother and guardian Mary Banda explained.

Gladys, from Chiyuni Village in the area, was one of two patients admitted at Chilumba Health Centre on September 12th. They were both put in spacious tents donated to the facility by UNICEF.

Karonga DHO official Raymond Jereni explained that since the first cholera cases were reported on 20 August, the district has recorded 174 cases and four fatalities in eight health facilities.

“The index case was from a fisherman who had travelled to Tukombo in Nkhata Bay where the outbreak started,” he said.

Jereni said the outbreak worsened due to poor hygiene in the community.

“Cholera has spread fast because people have been practising open defaecation due to an absence of sanitary facilities, especially along the lakeshore. They also drink untreated water, especially from the lake,” he said.

According to Jereni, to mitigate the health crisis, Karonga DHO has received support from UNICEF in form of jerry cans, soap, tents, chlorine, drugs, gumboots, solar lamps and buckets which have been distributed to their health facilities.

Over the last week, the cholera outbreak in Malawi has been reported in one additional district, bringing the total number of affected districts to 19 since the confirmation of the first case in March.

As of 12 September, 2 577 cases and 86 deaths were recorded across the country. Most cases were reported in Nkhata Bay, followed by Blantyre, Nsanje, Nkhotakota, Rumphi, Mzimba North, Chikwawa, Neno, and Karonga.

The major factors associated with the cholera outbreak in the communities are poor food hygiene, lack of safe water, and low latrine coverage and usage.

Records show the cholera deaths are being registered at the community level or soon after arriving at health facilities because of delays in admission and treatment.

UNICEF is supporting Ministry of Health with a communication campaign that is raising awareness about cholera, how to prevent it and the need for quick access to treatment. It is also supporting health facilities with essential supplies and capacity building to ensure an effective response to the outbreak in the affected districts.

As the rainy season draws near, there is a high risk of the outbreak spreading further, but UNICEF and its partners are scaling up support to the government of Malawi to prevent this occurrence and save lives of many children like Mwainisha.