By Tiyanjane Mambucha
Dowa, July 4, Mana: Tobacco Association of Malawi (TAMA) Farmers Trust is set to implement a Farmer’s Based Covid -19 response in four districts of the country including Dowa.
The Farmers Based Covid-19 response has objectives of increasing public knowledge and awareness of the Coronavirus and training farmers on precautionary measures.
Speaking during a briefing of the response to the District Public Health Emergency Management Committee (PHEMC) held at the boma in Dowa, the organization’s adminstration Manager, Martha Kasonya, said the response will in Dowa target areas of three group village heads.
The response will be implemented in the village of Kapasula, Ndozi and Chalanga, all in the area of Senior Chief Kayembe in the district.
Kasonya said the response will also be implemented in 3 Group Village heads of Traditional Authority (TA) Kabudula in Lilongwe, 3 Group Village heads of TA Santhe in Kasungu and three Group Village heads of TA Mzukuzuku in Mzimba.
“The country is continuing to see an increase in the number of cases, that is why we have seen that it is important to implement this response now,” she said.
She said the response will support coordination efforts across national stakeholders on Covid-19 and to increase impact and outreach learning process.
The trust will also produce and distribute hygienic materials needed to help protect communities from the spread of Covid -19.
“The response will help the communities to have knowledge of dealing with Covid-19 in rural set ups, and coming up with rural based solutions to combat Covid-19 and promoting basic hygiene in rural areas,” she said.
Acting District Commissioner for Dowa, Christopher Kumikundi, thanked TAMA Farmers Trust for complimenting government’s efforts in mitigating effects of Covid-19 in the district saying Dowa is not spared from the pandemic.
“Dowa as a district has started registering cases of Covid-19. It is the duty of each and every one to follow the precautionary measures to prevent the pandemic from spreading,” he said.
Kumikundi, however, advised the organization to revisit its budget and the districts they will implement the response so that they focus on one district, with reduced number of activities on Covid-19 for an impact.
He said the Public Health Emergency Management Committee (PHEMC) planned a budget of MK117, 214,500 to deal with cases of Covid-19 in the district but has a shortfall of MK 66,731,320 expressing hope that partners will still come in and fill the gap.
Farmer Based Covid-19 response $14, 000 will be implemented in the four districts of Dowa, Lilongwe, Kasungu and Mzimba with financial support from the ELCT.
