LILONGWE, MAY 29, 2020 (CISA) –The Catholic Development Commission of Malawi (CADECOM) has joined the fight against Covid-19 in the country by supplying hospitals with Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) for frontline workers.
Speaking to CISA on May 28 Chimwemwe Phiri ,the Director of Cadecom said that the support is trickling in from the Caritas Internationalis Covid Response Fund (CRF fund) and is meant to supply as many PPEs as will be possible to various hospitals in the most affected districts.
“Particularly the funds will go towards support for purchase of PPEs in hospitals and rural areas across the six districts of Lilongwe, Mwanza, Karonga, Nkhotakota, Mchinji and Chikwawa. Some of the items to be distributed include thermometers, masks, aprons, water buckets, handwashing soap, sanitizers and gloves. The project will also support sensitization and awareness sessions and capacity building of front line staff,” he said.
According to Phiri, the six districts will be given priority since they have emerged as hotspots of the Covid-19.
“Mchinji district borders Zambia, Karonga district borders Tanzania, Mwanza district borders Mozambique while Lilongwe, Nkhotakota and Chikwawa were among the first districts to report cases of Covid-19 and have reported rise in cases over the weeks,” he said.
On May 18, Cadecom donated PPE worth K8.2 million to Mtengowanthenga and Madisi mission hospitals in Dowa to support their fight against Covid- 19 as part of the donation to hospitals.
Cadecom is partnering with Caritas Internationalis (CI), Caritas Australia,the Catholic Secretariat,Trocaire, Caritas Australia, Scottish Catholic International Aid Fund(SCIAF) and Catholic Relief Services (CRS).
Malawi has as of May 29 reported 203 positive cases of Covid-19, 42 recoveries and 4 deaths.