Deputy Health Minister Urges Faith Leaders to Join Fight Against Cholera

Malawi-Deputy Minister of Health, Halima Daud, has called on faith leaders in Malawi to take an active role in the fight against cholera, stating that they are critical in eliminating the disease, writes Moses Nyirenda.

Speaking on Wednesday in Lilongwe at a faith conference on cholera response organized by Norwegian Church Aid (NCA)/DanChurchAid (DCA) with support from the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), Daud emphasized the importance of engaging the faith community in spreading key messages to their congregants.

The conference, attended by over 20 faith leaders from various institutions, churches, and mosques, aimed to address critical matters affecting the country, including pandemics.

“Faith leaders play a very big role in this country because they meet a lot of people almost every day,” said Daud.

“For this reason, the leaders of the churches are also critical in spreading messages to their followers aimed at fighting against cholera. However, there is a need for all the faith leaders to take an active role.”

Daudi commended NCA/DCA for working closely with faith leaders in addressing various issues affecting the country.

DCA/DCA Country Director, Havard Hovdhaugen, emphasized the need to engage the faith community in the fight against cholera.

“If you want to bring about change, you need to have the faith community on board as they are in all parts of the country and they are able to convey key messages to the people,” he said.

Malawi Council of Churches Vice Chairperson, William Tembo, praised NCA/DCA for consistently engaging faith leaders in addressing critical matters affecting the country, including pandemics.

The government, together with its partners, including UNICEF, the World Health Organization (WHO), and the faith community, is committed to eliminating cholera in Malawi.