Mwanza District swiftly deals with Covid 19 with Save the Children

Mwanza district has benefitted greatly from the ECHO funded project, implemented by Save the Children, aimed at dealing with the spread of the Covid 19 and the combatting of its effects altogether. Currently, the Mwanza District Health Office has no active cases, but only one case is reported from the community.

The Relief and Rehabilitation Officer, Ivy Chammudzi said that Mwanza being a border district is susceptible to high risk of Covid 19 infections, and the Project has dealt with that by, among other things, coming up with a contingency plan.

“The contingency plan is the document that highlights the key hazards for the district and how we as a council respond to it. The project enabled us to meet and develop this plan which is now in use.

Chammudzi also said the Council recognised that during disasters like the Covid 19 pandemic, children are the most affected. During the contingency plan development, this was taken into account and it highlights how children’s needs are to be catered for in these times.

“We have also seen some of the support going to schools, communities and parents in efforts of targeting people who are trusted with the protection of children. During the first wave alone, almost 365 young girls got pregnant and there was high dropout rates among children,” Relief and Rehabilitation Officer concluded.

The District Medical Officer (DMO) for Mwanza [Dr Francis Makiya] thanked ECHO funded project saying it has helped manage, especially, the second wave of the pandemic.

“The ECHO project has helped us with capacity building. The staff have been trained on Covid-19 cases management including screening and contact tracing. They also helped us service two vehicles that were not running before: one is an ambulance and the other is a utility vehicle that is used in the running of various errands.

We also received wash items, assorted PPEs and medical supplies such as oxygen cylinders, hospital mattress and beds. This has assisted us to deal with the pandemic holistically.”

The Director of Planning Development (Ernest Kadzokoya) hailed ECHO funded project for the assistance saying it is their biggest partner in disaster. Mwanza DHO reported 24 cases in the first wave and 174 in the second wave.