HEALTH ARTICLES 2020[2] On Covid 19 -by -MARISEN MWALE #Why The Voice Of Ordinary Malawians Has To Be Listened To On The Lockdown Saga

HEALTH ARTICLES 2020[2] On Covid 19 -by -MARISEN MWALE

#Why The Voice Of Ordinary Malawians Has To Be Listened To On The Lockdown Saga

By MARISEN MWALE

Amidst this impasse on whether to implement Lockdown as part of intervention measure to curb the spread of the Corona virus in Malawi, I strongly believe that listening to the plight of the ordinary Malawian is critical. As public health mitigation and preventative measures like the Lockdown become popular, it is pertinent to also appreciate the voices of ordinary people whose socioeconomic livelihoods might be severely affected in unprecedented ways.  Not heeding their grievances expressed through demonstrations by mainly those in the vending career who represent the view of the majority of grassroots Malawians might culminate on the grievances having deleterious impact against prevention and awareness gains already being registered on the ground. Not only that, the timing was also skewed and not in the best interest of the average Malawian civil servant. Implementing a Lockdown mid-month would have meant civil servants who are already struggling due to poor wage bills going home without receiving their April salaries further compounding the essence of the public health preventative intervention. Further to that, ordinary people might begin construing the prevention measures as punitive or retributive or even infringing on their rights and not in the best interest of protecting them from contracting the Corona virus.

My take on the matter is that circumstances of ordinary Malawians need to be taken into consideration. Perhaps modification and departure from the one fits all Lockdown measure in consistence with our socioeconomic circumstances would suffice. Of note is the fact that incidence trends in Sub-Saharan Africa of which Malawi is part are rather at their lowest since the inception of the pandemic. Except for South Africa perhaps due mainly to the multi-racial populace, sub-Saharan African incidence might remain negligible even to the fizzing out of the epidemic. Most cases being registered even in Malawi are those of people migrating from high risk Western or Oriental epicenters. Our argument for Malawi as a case in point is not against preventive measures or solidarity  with the global community in the fight against the Covid 19 considering that we don’t need to be complacent but rather that our socioeconomic circumstances cannot afford that we implement the Lockdown strategy.

In Malawi there are strategies already on the ground that might need just a bit of scaling up – those like hand washing with sanitizers and antiseptic soap even among the pro-poor populations, disinfecting markets, use of face-masks and closing or limiting influx of immigrants through our boarders. Such, and diverse other interventions on the ground may be enough but also accommodative to ordinary Malawians’ socioeconomic plight. Against a background of poverty and deprivation with more than 80% of the population living below the poverty line and albeit from hand to mouth, a majority of aggrieved citizens consider a Lockdown unnecessary and counterproductive even on public health efforts across the board. It is paramount to note that we should not just implement a Lockdown for the sake of it or because every other nation is on Lockdown without necessarily scrutinizing our own circumstances or the main rationale for the intervention measure. As already highlighted we might create ambivalence and apathy towards prevention measures already afloat on the ground with people even beginning to construe measures as punitive, retributive and a violation of their rights. Further in overcrowded communities of our major cities like Blantyre, Lilongwe and Mzuzu; a Lockdown might even create further public health hazards and challenges as pressure on amenities might mount with negative effects on hygiene and other health outcomes.

Marisen ‘Maestro’ Mwale

 HEALTH ARTICLES 2020 - ON COVID 19

COVID 19 – Potential remedy

As the Covid 19 pandemic continues to take a toll on lives and as incidence is exponential across the globe but more so in the West, the fact that no vaccine has yet been clinically tested and the fact that it is still difficult to remedy severe cases calls for novel ways of trying to reduce morbidity and mortality.

To begin with potential natural ways to remedy proliferation in case of infection might focus on natural ways of boosting immunity as scientifically the immune compromised as well as those with other chronical conditions are at high risk of succumbing to the infection. Immune boosting natural products like garlic, ginger, cinnamon, moringa, and limes in a diet might help in abating proliferation due to antioxidants like Vitamin C. However in addition to nutrition a remedy cocktail constituting – anti-malarials in our case LAR [for the malaise], cotrimoxazole – / bactrim [for the dry cough], Diclofenac [for muscle and joint debilitation], ibobrufen [for analgesic or painkilling effects], Erythromycin [for the pneumonia] and additionally activated charcoal [for the toxins effect as the virus proliferates]. That potentially may help reduce mortality as like in the case of HIV albeit in cognizance of the disparities in incubation period; severity of disease seems to be emanating from potentially opportunistic infections that can be abated with a cocktail of antibiotics.

Marisen ‘Maestro’ Mwale

COVID 19 – Potential remedy

As the Covid 19 pandemic continues to take a toll on lives and as incidence is exponential across the globe but more so in the West, the fact that no vaccine has yet been clinically tested and the fact that it is still difficult to remedy severe cases calls for novel ways of trying to reduce morbidity and mortality.

To begin with potential natural ways to remedy proliferation in case of infection might focus on natural ways of boosting immunity as scientifically the immune compromised as well as those with other chronical conditions are at high risk of succumbing to the infection. Immune boosting natural products like garlic, ginger, cinnamon, moringa, and limes in a diet might help in abating proliferation due to antioxidants like Vitamin C. However in addition to nutrition a remedy cocktail constituting – anti-malarials in our case LAR [for the malaise], cotrimoxazole – / bactrim [for the dry cough], Diclofenac [for muscle and joint debilitation], ibobrufen [for analgesic or painkilling effects], Erythromycin [for the pneumonia] and additionally activated charcoal [for the toxins effect as the virus proliferates]. That potentially may help reduce mortality as like in the case of HIV albeit in cognizance of the disparities in incubation period; severity of disease seems to be emanating from potentially opportunistic infections that can be abated with a cocktail of antibiotics.

Marisen ‘Maestro’ Mwale

BOTTOMLINE ARTICLES 2020 [1]

#Our Country Malawi The Responsibility Of Everyone Of Us Not Just Government

BY

MARISEN MWALE

The message I have for us as Malawians as we rollout 2020 albeit within the context that our electoral political impasse ought to have been resolved in 2019, is that our country is everyone's responsibility not just government. On my mind is and as backdrop the controversial statement by the incumbent president that some human rights institution (HRDC) is operating like a terror group. I endeavor to be a bit non-partisan on matters of politics so I will not comment on that but that does not preclude the fact that within a context of political tension as we are in, a bit of taming the tongue and responsibility on all divides is vital. Now, I got intrigued with one thought on my mind way back triggered by a session on radio by the Nkhoma synod celebrated clergyman Rev Kachipapa on machinations of the devil: that mostly the devil does not intrude a mind without knowing or capitalizing on one's weak spots. Some democratic check and balance institutions and even political parties I'm sorry to say seem to be operating like wise .... specifically like the devil. Just to furnish an example, I for one would surmise even for political parties that within a context of exponential youth unemployment, which has obviously become the byword for decampaining government and luring youth to the streets to demonstrate against government, some institutions or parties ought to as a matter of necessity and in the best interest of us all as a nation bring to the table potential solutions. That's rather than capitalizing on the weak spot of youth unemployment as a weapon for sabotage or gaining political mileage.

I would within my non-partisan orientation think of conceptualizing solutions within what government is already bringing to the table. On community colleges for example, the equity being accorded every Malawian youth even from the remotest areas to empowerment like Kasama in Chitipa, may be complemented with a bid to every well wishing Malawian to play a role by contributing equipment and tools for the young people to showcase and bankroll careers after graduation. Not that there are no well wishing Malawians even in the Diaspora who could contribute to the manifestation of that initiative in the guise of unity of purpose but that the messages we construct and communicate from such government initiative like community colleges as opposition parties and check and balance democratic institutions are rather toxic and negative. We would rather champion the rhetoric of youth unemployment and bank our hopes on utilizing that weak spot to demerit and discredit government or incite youth to the streets on that pretext than preach potential solutions to end youth unemployment. I for one would think ending youth unemployment is every well wishing Malawian's responsibility and obligation especially when I fathom that what youth mostly need is empowerment. We could for our graduates empower them with requisite resources and infrastructure to roll out their own organizations or careers and even further develop ideas they bring from University to fruition rather than capitalizing on the weak spot of unemployment and that is not only the responsibility of government. We could alternatively foster entrepreneurship among our graduate youth. For the non-graduate youth within the context of government initiative like the community colleges or even fertilizer subsidy, a lot could be done not only by government but every well wishing Malawian including non-governmental organizations.

Several organizations complementing government effort in that vein cannot go without mention: World vision, Plan Malawi, Oxfam, UNDP, USAID, JICA, DFID, GIZ, CIDA, NORAD, Cadecom etc need to be complimented. Even some ordinary Malawians are playing and could play their part........... if a majority of us could create one or two jobs: buy a welding machines or two and hire youth for instance , buy a vehicle or two, or a lorry or two for those who can afford and hire youth, the question is how many non-graduate youth would we take from the streets and list of the unemployed. Fact is we need to model and nurture a better Malawi as a unified group of people and with consented effort and not be bent to sabotage government effort by always witch wishing or hunting for weak spots that we may as well help mitigate. Let's not always play the devil in Rev Kachipapa's renditions. There is a lot everyone of us can do to complement government effort and after all Malawi belongs to everyone of us!

BY MARISEN ‘MAESTRO’ MWALE

BOTTOMLINE ARTICLES BY MARISEN MWALE

#Education the Missing Link For Economic Development in Malawi

In economics.... we call it the multiplier effect... that's how I choose to perceive the impact of education on our economy. A citizenry's level of Education even at basic level is exponentially highly associated with its level of economic development even in GDP terms. Low literacy levels for any populace is highly linked with a country's poverty and underdevelopment. Why? In a nation that has high literacy levels, basic development interventions are easily adapted and implemented in all sectors that impact on or are highly indicators of overall economic development. Think of health interventions for example, a low literacy population would not easily adapt to health education messages for instance prevention of common communicable or even non-communicable disease like: malaria, tuberculosis, diarrhoea, cholera or even HIV with implications on the burden of health costs.

A country with low literacy levels among a majority of its population will therefore have to dig deeper into its national budget to cover health costs albeit on some infections and disease that can be prevented and mitigated easily in a high literacy populace. Similarly the same applies to agricultural interventions as well as interventions on environmental management linked to monitoring and checks on climate change and global warming among some. Deforestation and other aspects of environmental degradation are highly associated with poor literacy levels within a population anywhere in the world since such a population can hardly appreciate linkages for example between deforestation or even lack of environmental management through conservation agriculture for example and mitigating climate change.

Basic interventions in agriculture for instance maximization of yields through modern farming techniques and appropriate technologies can only be better appreciated and sustained in a populace with better literacy levels compared to one with such low levels. Even democratic principles such as human rights and responsibilities can better be appreciated by a literate citizenry in majority terms. That does not preclude demographic indicators of family planning and overpopulation management that can only be appreciated by a literate populace in majority terms with all these outcomes impacting on a nation's economic development in the final analysis.

 Logically therefore, Education is key to economic development of any nation and it does not come as a surprise anywhere in the world whether in Africa, Asia or Europe or the Americas that countries with above average literacy levels in their populaces have better economies in GDP terms a majority being middle or high income nations. What does this mean for Malawi? Malawi has for long been ranked lowly in economic development terms and is among the poorest nations if not poorest nation in the world. This is despite enjoying peace and stability since independence some 50 or so years ago.

It is paradoxical to be poor amidst a plethora of resources begging the million dollar question as to where our efforts are not met or rather where we miss the point as a nation? My argument as logically summed up in the forgoing is that of the missing puzzle in Education for our nation. The low literacy levels for a majority of the population in the country go a long way in compromising all sectors of development including the economy. If we were to invest highly in the education sector for our nation, for our children not only in quantities (access) but above all else quality or standards - in equity of access across the nation, we could go a long way in harnessing multiplier effect outcomes for overall economic development of our nation. Education again is key and perhaps the missing link in our vicious cycles of poverty and underdevelopment not only for Malawi in particular but Africa in general.

BY

MARISEN ‘MAESTRO’ MWALE