Ministry of Health meets Truck drivers on COVID-19 Response
The Ministry of Health is orienting members of the truck Drivers association of Malawi and Professional Drivers Association on COVID-19 infection prevention and control of transmission as one way of fighting the pandemic. The Ministry, through the Health Education Services, has lined up meetings with truck drivers in all the regions to provide a platform for detailed information on the disease and hear out the fears and rumours that are preventing some drivers from adhering to COVID-19 instituted prevention measures.Read more
The Family Planning programme
The national FP programme of the RHD seeks to reduce unmet need for family planning services, unintended pregnancies as well as socio-economic disparities in contraceptive use through provision of voluntary comprehensive family planning services at all levels to all men, women and young people of reproductive age. Its objective is to strengthen availability, access to and utilization of family planning services at health facility and community levels.Read more
Major Challenges
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The health care system
Health services in Malawi are provided by public, private for profit (PFP) and private not for profit (PNFP) sectors. The public sector includes all health facilities under the Ministry of Health (MOH), district, town and city councils, Ministry of Defence, Ministry of Internal Affairs and Public Security (Police and Prisons) and the Ministry of Natural Resources, Energy and Mining.
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Support for fight against TB in Mining
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Health Priorities
Central Hospitals
Ministry of Health meets Truck drivers on COVID-19 Response
The Ministry of Health is orienting members of the truck Drivers association of Malawi and Professional Drivers Association on COVID-19 infection prevention and control of transmission as one way of fighting the pandemic. The Ministry, through the Health Education Services, has lined up meetings with truck drivers in all the regions to provide a platform for detailed information on the disease and hear out the fears and rumours that are preventing some drivers from adhering to COVID-19 instituted prevention measures.
Speaking in Mponela during the central region session on Saturday, 4th June 2020, acting Deputy Director of Preventive Health - Health Education Services, Mavuto Thomas said they thought of engaging the truck drivers as they are among the high-risk population because because of nature of their job.
"Our colleagues travel long distances and pass through different areas and countries so they are prone to infecting or getting infected with coronavirus."
"Since we started mandatory testing at the borders, we have had some resistance from a section of the truck drivers and drivers of big buses. That is the more reason we decoded to have a meeting for them to understand the task at hand so they can play their role in the fight against COVID-19, said Thomas who is the head of the Health Education Services in the Ministry of Health.
Truck Drivers Association of Malawi President, Richard Jubeck commended government for reaching out to them on the pandemic. He said most of the information they have been getting has been from social media, which made them reluctant to adhere to government measures on COVID-19 especially at the borders.
"We are at risk as we move from one country to another, with these meetings we will inform our colleagues on the dangers and preventive measures for coronavirus so that we protect ourselves and our families," said Jubeck.
The major challenge has been on personal protective wear to prevent the transmission of COVID-19. Jubeck said they have engaged Road Traffic Operators Association and National Aids Commission to come in providing sanitizers, gloves and masks for their daily operations.
Apart from the meeting for central region based drivers in Mponela, the other regions will have meeting in Mzuzu and Blantyre with support from USAID through Health Communication for Life (HC4L).