Malawi which is among a few countries in Africa which has not yet reported any coronavirus case, is however looking for ways and means to secure almost $20 million (K15billion) to support its National Contingency Plan to prepare and prevent the plague.
From the amount, the government has released $3.2million (K2.5billion) for immediate expenditures.
Chairperson for Ministerial Committee on COViD-19 in Malawi also Minister of Health and Population, Jappie Mhango told reporters in the capital Lilongwe that the funds will be used to implement interventions put in place to fight the disease inbthw country.
‘The aim of these activities is to prevent the disease from being transmitted into our country and also to prepare on how to handle any case should a disease case be diagnosed,” he said.
He said government in conjunction with World Health Organization (WHO) is continuously monitoring the outbreak situation in all affected countries in order to guide its response.
He therefore appealed for more support from the private sector and the international community to the course.
Some of the interventions Malawi is undertaking include, awareness campaigns, training of the local authorities, media and health staff, redeploying of health personnel in all border posts, suspension of hosting international meetings, restricting public meetings, suspension of schools.
As well as self and institutional quarantine and suspension of visas to citizens of countries that have been hit by Covid-19.
FT/Dng/APA