The Malawi Health Equity Network has questioned the irony behind Malawi-China Medical Supplies donation as the coronavirus spreads the world over.
MHEN Executive Director, George Jobe wonders why the donation has been made to China when Malawi’s health sector is facing numerous challenges including drug shortage.
The donation comes two weeks ago after the government issued an export ban restricting the exportation of medical supplies in a bid to keep the country equipped in the event of the coronavirus.
Days ago, former health minister Atupele Muluzi defied the order and donated medical supplies to China, a gesture that has attracted widespread debate.
Currently, some quarters are of the view that Muluzi could have done better by abiding by the order in the wake of the country’s medical equipment crisis.
In an interview, Jobe said it is rather reasonable for Malawi to weigh its priorities but not pretending as if the situation in hospitals is better.
“When we look at our health sector, putting coronavirus aside, we have also a number of challenges that need redressing and not what has happened. This is unfortunate, ‘’ said Jobe.
On her part, one of the outspoken health rights advocates Dorothy Ngoma described the gesture as senseless.
Meanwhile, South Africa confirmed its first coronavirus case after a 38-year-old man who traveled to Italy tested positive.
Other African countries with confirmed cases include Nigeria, Senegal, Egypt, and Algeria. While countries like South Africa have prepared for the arrival of the coronavirus, smaller African economies with poor health-care systems may struggle to contain the outbreak.
The World Health Organization (WHO) has indicated that public health officials are operating in “uncharted territory” as they combat the spread of the novel coronavirus, which has infected more than 90,000 people across 73 countries and territories as of Monday evening.
The virus has spread to every continent except Antarctica since it was first identified in December last year in the central Chinese city of Wuhan.
Medical workers are now battling deadly outbreak clusters in South Korea, Iran, and Italy, while other countries are working furiously to avoid a similar fate by readying public health authorities, alerting their citizens and enacting travel restrictions to affected areas.