Handing washing remains a challenge

By Tione Andsen – Mana.

World Vision Malawi (WVM) has said hand washing with soap practices remains the biggest challenge among communities in combating Covid-19 in the country.

WVM Water, Hygiene and Sanitation (WASH) Technical Programmes Manager, Deborah Muheka made the observation Friday during a Press briefing in Lilongwe regarding the threat of Covid-19 in the country.

She said only 15 per cent of the country’s population wash their hand with soap but the majority of them do not due to another of reason such as non-availability of soap within their households.

Muheka said it has been observed that the uptake and usage of handing washing soap and sanitizers has increased of late due to the effects of Covid-19 pandemic.

“We have seen the providing of hand washing water and soaps in a number of institutions whereby people are complied to wash their hand before entering their premises. This has somehow helped to communities to realize the importance of washing hands with soap in order to kills germs,” she stated.

The Programmes Manager calls for behaviour change among communities saying washing hand with soap regularly help to reduce infection transmission among people.

“We need to develop mind set change attitude towards the issue of hand washing if we are to succeed in our quest. We need to look at the issue of providing potable water to the communities critically al the times,” Muheka added.

Water Services Association of Malawi (WASAM), Executive Secretary, Dokani Ngwira said provision of potable and safe water to the communities was instrumental in the fight of any water related diseases.

He said it was disheartening to note that over 30 per cent of boreholes in the country are non functional.

Ngwira said budgetary allocation to water section in District Councils needs to improve so that non-functional boreholes are services regularly so that communities should have clean and potable water always.

Mana/tha