Since the Coronavirus pandemic hit Malawi, the nation has seen the number of confirmed cases of the disease increase day by day. Currently, the figures show that the cases have gone above 23,000 confirmed cases with 702 total deaths. Because of the unexpected virus surge, the country’s health system has found itself overwhelmed. Due to this, the sector in the southern African country has resulted in using a national stadium and presidential residence as field hospitals. The health sector saw the move as a means to save lives and ease the traffic of patients seeking health care in the already filled up hospitals.
Two Cabinet Ministers Die in Malawi
In recent weeks Malawians received news of the deaths of two Cabinet ministers to COVID-19. The two ministers died amid a surge in cases in Malawi, which lead to the nation’s leader announcing a state of national disaster in all of Malawi’s 28 districts. Additionally, President Lazarus Chakwera declared three days of national mourning over the deaths of the ministers of transport and local government.
The minister’s deaths shocked the people of Malawi. Their deaths also lead to the launch of a raft of new measures aimed at stopping the circulation of the virus. Amid the launch of these measures, health professionals confirmed the presence of a new strain of the virus first reported in South Africa also in Malawi. This news has caused increased worry among Malawi authorities. With the terrible and understaffed medical facilities, they fear many lives will be lost.
The number of people infected with the virus in Malawi appears relatively small in the country, with 18 million people. But the 23,000 active cases in the country are many times more than the number of established hospital beds and medical personnel. To try and cope, officials are setting up makeshift hospitals to increase the number of treatment units. The current treatment facilities stand at 400, but the ongoing increase sets to achieve at least 1,500 treatment units. In the project, the government even planed to use tents erected on the lawns of already established hospitals.
Measures to Deal the Virus Surge
Furthermore, the presidential residence State House in the southern city of Zomba is set to be turned into a 100-bed treatment facility. The already established 300-bed field hospital at Bingu National Stadium has begun admitting patients. The Malawian government plans to launch another 300-bed field hospital at a youth center in Blantyre, the country’s largest city. The nation has also set up a 200-bed facility for emergency care in the northern city of Mzuzu. But setting up field hospitals is not help full if there are no medical practitioners to provide services. So the Malawian government has recruited 1,128 medical professionals. The professionals, however, are still fewer as the country had projected it required 1,380 workers.
So far, President Chakwera’s government has already spent more than $38 million in tackling the COVID-19 pandemic. The President ordered the finance minister to release an additional $22.6 million to deal with the virus surge. In addition to the funds, the President imposed some measures to help deal with increased infections. The President directed the shutting down of schools for at least 15 days and the enforcement of a nighttime curfew. Moreover, President Chakwera restricted public gatherings from having more than 50 people. But the President notes that the setting up of more hospitals and having restrictions may not be enough for Malawi.
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