Open AccessAddressing COVID-19 in Malawi
Author(s) -
Parth Patel,
Yusuff Adebayo Adebisi,
Steven Munharo,
Don Eliseo LuceroPrisno
Publication year - 2020
Publication title -
the pan african medical journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.287
H-Index - 30
ISSN - 1937-8688
DOI - 10.11604/pamj.supp.2020.35.2.23960
Subject(s) - medicine , pandemic , government (linguistics) , context (archaeology) , economic growth , public health , poverty , population , health care , environmental health , health promotion , developing country , personal protective equipment , covid-19 , nursing , paleontology , linguistics , philosophy , disease , pathology , infectious disease (medical specialty) , economics , biology
: COVID-19 is a global public health threat that Africa faces including the country Malawi. With an already burdened health system and an economically challenged population due to the poverty level, Malawi is suddenly faced by a pandemic that will test the country’s healthcare systems. Its government has already instituted an array of initiatives and plans and funding efforts toward the effective containment of the pandemic. Some of these efforts include reorientation and training for health workers, securing funding to procure and distribute needed personal protective equipment, medicine supply, health promotion, surveillance and case management. These efforts are being done in the context of an already heavy burden of diseases such as HIV/AIDS, malnutrition and poor health literacy. Whether efforts of the government and other stakeholders are enough, these remain to be seen in containing the virus and its aftermath. Until an effective treatment or vaccine is available, Malawi has to remain vigilant and needs to continue all its efforts to address its COVID-19 epidemic.