Bilharzia eradication project underway in Malawi's lakeshore areas
Written by ALFRED DAMALIPHETSA PHIRI
MANGOCHI -- Transmission and cases of bilharzia are expected to dwindle in some lakeshore districts in Malawi, thanks to an eradication project rolled out by the Health Education Environment Economic and Development, a non-governmental organisation based at Cape Maclear in Mangochi district.
Bilharzia is reportedly common in most lakeshore areas highly infested with specific snails that transmit bilharzia in those areas.
Therefore, the organization has entrusted a team called Bilharzia Eradication Team with the duty of catching these specific snails reportedly transmitting bilharzia.
Once caught, the snails, small in size, will be taken for laboratory tests.
However, some snails have no infection, according to a team member, Watson Lumbe.
Those that transmit bilharzia are treated with some chemicals for preservation and are used to identify areas that are infested with such snails.
Lumbe said the team would also be going about in the communities to sensitize the on the same, noting that taking drugs is one of the preventive measure.
Apart from physically catching and removing these snails, there's one type of fish called Placadon locally known as ‘Kadyankhono’ that prey on the snails, thereby helping to reduce the snail’s population.
Moreover, Lumbe outlined that bilharzia causes burning sensation among the patients and at times there's blood in urine and this can affect the urinary bladder.
He therefore discouraged fishermen from catching ‘Kadyankhono’ as they help to eliminate the bilharzia-causing snails in the Lake.
When asked to divulge the statistics of bilharzia cases at Cape Maclear, he pointed out that the cases are very minimal, emphasizing that on a daily basis they put much effort in controlling the population of such snails.
Cape Maclear is one of Malawi's tourist attraction centers and creating a bilharzia-free environment can have positive impact on the tourism industry.
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The author is a student at the Malawi Institute of Journalism
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Government action can prevent cervical cancer deaths in Southern Africa
Written by SALC
JOHANNESBURG–Governments in southern Africa must implement comprehensive policies on cervical cancer in order to substantially reduce the number of deaths from cervical cancer, which is now the primary cause of cancer death among women in southern Africa, according to research published today by the Southern Africa Litigation Centre (SALC).
The report – entitled Tackling Cervical Cancer: Improving Access to Cervical Cancer Services for Women in Southern Africa – found that very few countries in the region have comprehensive policies on cervical cancer; essential prevention services, such as screening and vaccination, are not widely available in the public health sector in most countries; and treatment for both pre-cancerous lesions and invasive cancer remains a challenge.
Malawi rated star performer in HIV/AIDS activities
Written by MPHEMVU SUCHE
LILONGWE--A week-long Global Race to Save Life international conference seeking to drum up support towards zero new HIV/AIDS infection and zero stigma and discrimination is underway in Malawi’s capital Lilongwe with a call on politicians and faith leaders to join the fight against the scourge.Malawi is hosting the conference as one of the star performers in AID/AIDS programming, according to Ugandan Christian Aid Goodwill HIV/AIDS Ambassador, cleric Dr. Gideon Byamugisha.
Delegates to the conference discussing how to achieve zero HIV/AIDS and related deaths.
Speaking at the function, Malawi’s National Assembly Speaker, Henry Chimunthu Banda, urged the faith community and politicians to put their efforts together to combat HIV/AIDS.
“Local people from Nkhotakota district know that HIV/AIDS has teamed up with malaria to kill off humankind. We too, politicians and faith leaders, must team up to formulate a strong front against this scourge," Banda, lawmaker from Nkhotakota, told the gathering at the Bingu wa Mutharika International Conference Centre where participants include law makers and faith leaders from around the world.
MCC Board Chairperson Bishop Dr. Joseph Bvumbwe asked the participants “Have We Done Enough on the Three Zeros?
"Honestly the answer is a big NO. We cannot claim complete success as this stage. Yes we have and still doing something but we have not done enough.
"Let this conference be the voice of those suffering, those affected and infected. We are all infected and affected, by the way,” he said.
The Bishop also expressed gratitude with World Health Organization’s resolution to start administering new ARVs drugs, which are said to have fewer side effects.
Dr. Byamugisha, who is HIV positive, said: “We want to do way with stigma, shame, denial, discrimination, inaction and mis-action when handling brothers and sisters affected infected and affected by the scourge.”
Archbishop Rev. Lwanje of Rwanda said the gathering would also give people an opportunity to hear how conflict has helped fuel and promote HIV infections.
"It saddens me that most of the HIV and AIDS cases amongst women and children in Rwanda were a result of rape during the genocide," he said.
Somalia, Indonesia, West America, Uganda, Rwanda, Geneva, South Africa, Tanzania, Mozambique, Zambia and host Malawi are among countries participating and seeking to promote the Global Race to Save Life initiative.
The theme for the conference, organized by the International Faith Community in conjunction with MCC, is ‘Thus Far We Have Come in the Journey Towards the Three Zeros: We are Thankful and In Need.’
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(c) The Maravi Post 2012. Reproduction without acknowledgement prohibited
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Malawi 'sex cleanser' bedded 104 widows in 'Kupita Kufa' rituals
Written by A MARAPOST CORRESPONDENT
BLANTYRE--Eric Aniva is a popular man from Nsanje.
Top 6 foods to fill you up and keep you going for longer
Written by REALBUZZ.COM
How full did you feel after your last meal? Did you get a sense of sustained satisfaction or did you find that hunger pangs got you reaching for a snack just a little while later? The good news is there are certain foods that have qualities that rate high on the immediate satisfaction scale (or satiety index) so they make you feel fuller quicker, and keep you feeling full for longer too.