Africa-Press – Malawi. The Malawi Hindu Association in the United Kingdom (MHA-UK) has stressed the need for Malawians to take aggressive steps to eliminating Covid-19 pandemic by taking advantage of the continued drop in positivity rate.
MHA-UK representative Dhiren Thakrar made the remarks in Lilongwe on Monday when he handed over assorted personal protective equipment (PPEs) to the Malawi Government.
The PPEs are valued at £10, 200 [approximately MK12 million] and are expected to be distributed to Kasungu, Dowa, Nkhata Bay, Mzimba South and North District Hospitals.
Speaking after handing over the equipment to the Deputy Minister of Health and Population, Chrissie Kalamula Kanyasho, at a brief ceremony that took place at Woodlands Hotel in Lilongwe, Thakrar warned Malawians against slackening their adherence to Covid-19 prevention measures.
However, Thakrar assured that their association will continue complementing national efforts aimed at containing the coronavirus disease (Covid-19) pandemic.
“The Hindu Community in the UK is on standby and ready to support Malawi’s efforts to eliminate the disease. We have a lot of Hindus who used to live in Malawi and are now living in the UK. And when the pandemic broke-out, they decided to come together, raise some funds and see how they could assist Malawi. And that is exactly what they have done,” he said.
He added, “Of course, the pandemic is a little bit under control. But we all have to be careful, as other countries are going to the third wave. We are on standby. I have spoken to the chairperson of the association in the UK, Yogita Popat, who has assured me that she and her colleagues are ready to see how we can assist Malawi if the need arises.”
In her remarks, Kanyasho said despite Malawi registering register notable successes in the fight against Covid-19 pandemic, the government still needs many partners such as the Malawi Hindu Association (UK) to mobilise adequate PPEs, vaccines and medical oxygen to prevent and also manage Covid-19 cases in Malawi.
She said the donated equipment will go a long way in assisting the government to provide protection for health workers in Malawi in the various districts.
“On behalf of the government and people of Malawi, we wish to express our sincere gratitude to the Malawi Hindu Association (UK) through the Local Country Representative, Mr Dhiren Thakrar for showing love for Malawi and also strengthening preventive measures against COVID 19 in the health facilities so that patients continue to get health care,” said Kanyasho.
The Deputy Minister also disclosed that by October 7, 2021, Malawi had vaccinated a total of 1, 092, 540 people of which 503, 916 have received full doses. In addition, the positivity rate that averaged 23 percent in July/August 2021 is now down to 1.8 percent.
Kanyasho said “these achievements are down to the good vision and wise leadership of His Excellency the State President Dr Lazarus McCarthy Chakwera who in January 2021 declared a State of Disaster in all the 28 districts of the country due to the Covid-19 pandemic in Malawi.”
