Flooding in Malawi Perhaps Worst on Record

n the past two weeks, Malawi has experienced heavy rainfall resulting in flooding that has devastated the country. The flooding as displaced 200,000 people and 173 have been confirmed dead according to Gift of the Givers (an African NGO which specializes in disaster relief). Though many African countries have been affected by the flooding caused by Tropical Cyclone Bansi, Malawi seems to be the hardest hit. (CNN)

Flooding is a serious issue in Malawi, like many places in Africa the land is unable to absorb the water when rainfall is heavy due to deforestation and poor farming practices. As a result, the water sweeps across the low lying areas; some areas in Malawi are reporting as much as six feet of water. Homes and roads have been submerged in water destroying property and isolating people from aid. It is estimated that 20,000 people are currently isolated in the Southern Region of Malawi. (Nyasa Times)

Doctors Without Borders was able to reach some of these isolated people by helicopter. In the village of Makhanga, they found that one third of the children suffered from diarrhea, which is indicative of a lack of clean water. Many organizations are attempting to provide aid in the hopes of preventing a possible cholera outbreak or the spread of other diseases. Lack of clean water and proper sanitation in these severe flood conditions lends itself to the spread of disease, complicating the already desperate situation.  

Some of the health concerns following flooding include: 

• Diarrheal diseases from a lack of clean water; 
• Wound infections from damp and dirty conditions;
• Increases in water-borne diseases (such as cholera, typhoid fever, hepatitis A, leptospirosis, and giardia); 
• Vector-borne diseases (including malaria, dengue fever, yellow fever, and West Nile virus) because standing water encourages breeding of carriers, like mosquitos; and 
• TB and blood-borne illnesses (like HIV, hepatitis-B and -C) may be concerns if flooding leaves large numbers of deceased as the diseases can live in bodies for longer periods of time and pose a risk to community members handling bodies. 

 Though the initial Cyclone has passed Malawi there is fear that a second storm, Chedza, may hit Malawi  this coming Sunday, January 25. Currently, Tropical Depression Chedza is over the Indian Ocean, some  reports speculate that it will gain speed here and head back to land. (Weather Underground) As Malawi  waits to see if Tropical Depression Chedza will land again, aid groups from all over the world are  attempting to rescue isolated and displaced peoples across Southern Africa. Shelter and clean water are  desperately needed as well as assistance with medical care and re-housing those who have lost their  homes to the floods.

Written by Zoey Ponder and Emily Stallings

ARV Shortages in Malawi

Antiretroviral treatments are a lifeline to individuals living with HIV. Therefore, shortages in Antiretroviral (ARV) medicines can pose a drastic threat to these individuals. Many clinics in Malawi offer free ARV therapy (ART) to those living with HIV. Periodical ARV shortages have affected clinics in Malawi previously; despite proposals and plans to make antiretroviral therapy (ART) steadily available. At one such clinic in Lilongwe as few as 11% of the patients received their ARV treatments due to shortages this month. Many patients are being sent to the Kamuzu Central Hospital to seek their ART. (Nyasa Times) This poses a huge challenge for patients who are sometimes too ill or simply unable to travel from clinics, which are dispersed in rural areas, to hospitals which are usually located in urban areas. 

This is not the first time shortages have affected the health of people living with HIV in Malawi. Missing as little as a single treatment can have negative effects on a patient’s health. Some patients are forced to miss treatment for weeks or even to share treatments with other patients. (Nyasa Times) Missed doses can allow the virus to reproduce, mutate and develop resistance. Proper dosage and consistent treatment are essential to effective ART, making these shortages a serious issue for all involved. 

Reasoning for these shortages has been obscure. Ministry of Health officials insist that there is no reason for panic because they have a three month buffer of ARV medicines. However, clinic staff confirm that the drugs are unavailable to the clinics. This shortage could be a result of a lack of funding. In 2012, the estimated annual cost of ART was $300-400 per person. (The Guardian) Providing treatment for the three hundred-thousand patients receiving ART is hugely expensive. This requires ongoing donations and support from a number of groups such as UNAIDS and Doctors Without Borders. Some insist that the shortages are due to shortcomings on the administrative side of things and call for the Government of Malawi to review employee practices. Whatever the cause, it is vital to the people of Malawi that ART is readily available to whoever needs it.

Written by Zoey Ponder. Edited by Emily Stallings