Children critical to Covid-19 adaptation

By Sam Majamanda – Mana.

Oxfam Malawi has said teaching children ways of preventing the transmission of Ccovid-19 is a great way of ending the spread of the virus.

Oxfam’s Deputy Country Director Elias Khozombwe made the remarks on Tuesday in Phalombe during a District Executive Committee (DEC) meeting in which the organization presented a Covid-19 related project to be implemented in the district.

He said that the organization would like schools in the district to concentrate on educating children on Covid-19 prevention measures as their education would benefit a huge population.

“When you teach a child something chances are that the child will take the message home and facilitate change at household level through interaction with his/her family; in that way we’ll be able to reach many through children,” Khozombwe said.

District Education Manager (DEM) for Phalombe, Sonnex Likharuwe said teaching children was more easier than adults.

“When you tell a child what to do, he/she takes it as gospel truth and that can assist in the propagation of Covid-19 messages; so we need to focus on the children so that they grow up knowing that Covid-19 is real but we can manage it through good practices,” he said.

Likharuwe added that apart from preventing Covid-19 today the initiative would also ensure protection of the next generation. 

In Phalombe District, seven Covid-19 cases have been registered but no deaths have yet been reported, according to the health department.

Since the event of the Covid-19 schools have remained closed in the country following a presidential order aimed at reducing the spread of the virus.

Mana/sm/bn/tha