MALAWI – The European Union (EU) has supported Malawi with €1.5 million (US$1.59m) in its efforts to address the ongoing cholera epidemic in the country.
In addition, the EU has increased by €500,000 (US$530,645) its contribution to an ongoing UNICEF project providing life-saving health and WASH services to cholera-affected communities to improve case management and reduce deaths.
The original funding, of €540,000 (US$573,096) had been allocated in November 2022 to support UNICEF in its efforts to combat cholera.
In 2022, the EU also released emergency funding for cholera epidemics in other parts of the world, including Syria, Ethiopia and Haiti.
Inadequate infection prevention and control practices by communities and poor knowledge of cholera by health staff also increase the risk of the outbreak spreading.
The EU funding of €1.5 million (US$1.59m) will support WHO in procuring essential supplies to strengthen its rapid response capabilities, carry out district-level forecasting for supplies and develop a multi-partner information-sharing system for the best use of resources.
Malawi is highly vulnerable to serious infrastructural damage caused by heavy rains, cyclones and floods during the rainy season, including critical WASH infrastructure.
The current cholera epidemic broke out in February 2022 and is considered the worst in a decade. It has already resulted in over 49,000 cases, with over 1,500 deaths reported. All 29 districts of the country are affected.
“Cholera remains a tragic reality for many countries. Unsafe and contaminated water sources and poor hygiene practices are among the main factors increasing the risk of the disease spreading,” commissioner for Crisis Management Janez Lenarčič said.
“Our funding will support our humanitarian partners on the ground in controlling and eventually vanquishing the disease.”
This comes days after The United Nations and its humanitarian launched a Flash Appeal to assist 4 million people, including 56,000 refugees and asylum-seekers, who have been hardest-hit by, and are at highest-risk of, the outbreak.
UN said in a statement that the support of the Government-led response, “comes as the numbers of cholera cases and deaths in Malawi have increased exponentially since the beginning of January 2023, worsening what is already the deadliest cholera outbreak in the country’s history”.
The UN’s appeal, which various corporate companies and development partners have undertaken, calls for US$45.3 million for the next five months.
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