LONDON - Less than one-tenth of Malawi's urban population live in homes connected to sewers, according to a report by a research group that blamed "misleading" official statistics for hiding the scale of the problem.
The London-based International Institute for Environment and Development said 20 percent of Malawi's 13 million people live in urban areas with the urban population expected to double between 2010 and 2030.
In a survey of 1,178 households conducted in May and June last year, it found that water and sanitation remained "woefully inadequate" in the nine settlements across Malawi's three biggest cities - Blantyre, Lilongwe and Mzuzu.
The report published on Thursday also said that only one in four of the households polled had their own individual water connections.
Half of them relied on water kiosks - with some families in the southern African country ranked 162 out of 179 on U.N. human development index buying just one bucket of water a week.
Not only were the kiosks open for an average six hours a day, but interruptions to supply were common, the report said.
To compensate, many families were taking water from potentially contaminated sources such as shallow wells and rivers posing a health risk with cholera and diarrhoea occurring frequently.
"Regular, safe, affordable supplies of water and good provision for toilets are such an obvious part of development, and so central to better health," said Mtafu Manda, director of Alma Consultancy, a private planning and environmental management practice, who carried out the interviews.
"They are also central to livelihoods and for saving time, meaning no longer having to walk long distances or endure long queues to get water or use a communal toilet," Manda said in a statement.
MILLENNIUM DEVELOPMENT GOALS
The poor state of clean, plentiful water supply and sanitation means Malawi is in danger of missing United Nations targets to raise living standards in impoverished countries.
The U.N. Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) to reduce poverty were agreed in 2000 and include a target to halve the population without long-term access to water and sanitation by 2015.
With the deadline six years away, U.N. officials have said Ethiopia and Cape Verde were the only African countries on track to meet the MDG targets.
The Institute said the Malawi findings jarred with official statistics for 2006 suggesting that 96 percent of its urban population had access to drinking water and 97 percent had access to safe sanitation.
"Certainly, it shows that the number of those with adequate provision is far below the official statistics," David Satterthwaite, senior fellow in the Institute's Human Settlements Programme told AlertNet.
The report said the official statistics on water did not use the MDG definition of "sustainable access to safe drinking water".
It also said Malawi would be meeting the U.N. target on sanitation in urban areas only if "basic sanitation" included very basic pit latrines that are shared by households and often poorly maintained.
"Official statistics don't ask if water is in the pipe, if you can drink it, if you have to queue three hours to get it," Satterthwaite added.
A government official declined to comment. Principle Secretary in the Ministry of Irrigation and Water development, Andrina Mchiela said: "I am yet to read the report and therefore I cannot respond to what I have no knowledge of."
Thursday, 13 August 2009
Malawi inflation slows to 8.0 pct y/y
LILONGWE (Reuters) - Malawi's headline inflation slowed to 8.0 percent year-on-year in July from 8.4 percent in June on a further easing in food prices, the National Statistical Office (NSO) said on Thursday.
Inflation in the southern African country has been on a downward trend since hitting a two-year peak of 10.1 percent year-on-year in January.
"Although food inflation continues to go down, the rate of deceleration has slowed down, registering 6.9 percent ... compared to 7.1 percent in June," the NSO statement said.
Food inflation is heavily dictated by changes in the price of maize, Malawi's staple food, and accounts for about 58 percent in the country's Consumer Price Index (CPI).
Finance minister Ken Kandodo told Reuters last week that headline inflation is likely to be 9 percent or lower in the coming 12 months due to more stable food prices.
Inflation in the southern African country has been on a downward trend since hitting a two-year peak of 10.1 percent year-on-year in January.
"Although food inflation continues to go down, the rate of deceleration has slowed down, registering 6.9 percent ... compared to 7.1 percent in June," the NSO statement said.
Food inflation is heavily dictated by changes in the price of maize, Malawi's staple food, and accounts for about 58 percent in the country's Consumer Price Index (CPI).
Finance minister Ken Kandodo told Reuters last week that headline inflation is likely to be 9 percent or lower in the coming 12 months due to more stable food prices.
Malawi to probe border attack
Maputo - Malawi's president has promised his Mozambican counterpart that he will investigate an attack on a Mozambican border police post allegedly carried out by Malawian police, state media reported on Thursday.
Speaking at the end of a three-day state visit that was overshadowed by the allegations, Malawian leader Bingo wa Mutharika said he will report back to President Armando Guebuza on the raid in northern border town Caloca.
"I expect to send a report to my brother Guebuza after the meeting with the (Malawian national) security council, but I believe there was some sort of a misunderstanding caused by a group of people. That could not be an action of the Malawian government," Mutharika told the official Mozambican news agency AIM.
According to Mozambique's interior ministry, a group of people fired tear gas and bullets at the police station last Monday, setting fire to the building and destroying weapons and ammunition.
Mozambican state media reported that the raiders were dressed in Malawian police uniforms. However, an interior ministry spokesperson declined on Thursday to comment, saying an investigation was in progress.
Mutharika, who arrived in Mozambique on Monday, cancelled part of his agenda after learning of the attack.
"Yesterday (Tuesday), when I received a report on the incident I was very concerned," Mutharika told AIM. "I thought it could be unpleasant to start a trip like this while there is an important issue to resolve."
Four Mozambican police assigned to the Caloca post have been arrested and charged with negligence for failing to stop the raid, reported the state-controlled newspaper Noticias.
Speaking at the end of a three-day state visit that was overshadowed by the allegations, Malawian leader Bingo wa Mutharika said he will report back to President Armando Guebuza on the raid in northern border town Caloca.
"I expect to send a report to my brother Guebuza after the meeting with the (Malawian national) security council, but I believe there was some sort of a misunderstanding caused by a group of people. That could not be an action of the Malawian government," Mutharika told the official Mozambican news agency AIM.
According to Mozambique's interior ministry, a group of people fired tear gas and bullets at the police station last Monday, setting fire to the building and destroying weapons and ammunition.
Mozambican state media reported that the raiders were dressed in Malawian police uniforms. However, an interior ministry spokesperson declined on Thursday to comment, saying an investigation was in progress.
Mutharika, who arrived in Mozambique on Monday, cancelled part of his agenda after learning of the attack.
"Yesterday (Tuesday), when I received a report on the incident I was very concerned," Mutharika told AIM. "I thought it could be unpleasant to start a trip like this while there is an important issue to resolve."
Four Mozambican police assigned to the Caloca post have been arrested and charged with negligence for failing to stop the raid, reported the state-controlled newspaper Noticias.
Malawi to probe border attack
Maputo - Malawi's president has promised his Mozambican counterpart that he will investigate an attack on a Mozambican border police post allegedly carried out by Malawian police, state media reported on Thursday.
Speaking at the end of a three-day state visit that was overshadowed by the allegations, Malawian leader Bingo wa Mutharika said he will report back to President Armando Guebuza on the raid in northern border town Caloca.
"I expect to send a report to my brother Guebuza after the meeting with the (Malawian national) security council, but I believe there was some sort of a misunderstanding caused by a group of people. That could not be an action of the Malawian government," Mutharika told the official Mozambican news agency AIM.
According to Mozambique's interior ministry, a group of people fired tear gas and bullets at the police station last Monday, setting fire to the building and destroying weapons and ammunition.
Mozambican state media reported that the raiders were dressed in Malawian police uniforms. However, an interior ministry spokesperson declined on Thursday to comment, saying an investigation was in progress.
Mutharika, who arrived in Mozambique on Monday, cancelled part of his agenda after learning of the attack.
"Yesterday (Tuesday), when I received a report on the incident I was very concerned," Mutharika told AIM. "I thought it could be unpleasant to start a trip like this while there is an important issue to resolve."
Four Mozambican police assigned to the Caloca post have been arrested and charged with negligence for failing to stop the raid, reported the state-controlled newspaper Noticias.
Speaking at the end of a three-day state visit that was overshadowed by the allegations, Malawian leader Bingo wa Mutharika said he will report back to President Armando Guebuza on the raid in northern border town Caloca.
"I expect to send a report to my brother Guebuza after the meeting with the (Malawian national) security council, but I believe there was some sort of a misunderstanding caused by a group of people. That could not be an action of the Malawian government," Mutharika told the official Mozambican news agency AIM.
According to Mozambique's interior ministry, a group of people fired tear gas and bullets at the police station last Monday, setting fire to the building and destroying weapons and ammunition.
Mozambican state media reported that the raiders were dressed in Malawian police uniforms. However, an interior ministry spokesperson declined on Thursday to comment, saying an investigation was in progress.
Mutharika, who arrived in Mozambique on Monday, cancelled part of his agenda after learning of the attack.
"Yesterday (Tuesday), when I received a report on the incident I was very concerned," Mutharika told AIM. "I thought it could be unpleasant to start a trip like this while there is an important issue to resolve."
Four Mozambican police assigned to the Caloca post have been arrested and charged with negligence for failing to stop the raid, reported the state-controlled newspaper Noticias.
Delaware Air National Guard and Malawi Defence Force Complete Military Police Workshop
LILONGWE, Malawi, Aug 13, 2009 — Members of the Delaware Air National Guard and the Military Police Company of the Malawi Defence Force (MDF) recently completed a military to military (mil-to-mil) security cooperation workshop at Kamuzu Barracks in Lilongwe, Malawi, August 10-14, 2009.
The event, the first to take place in Malawi, focused on ground base security standards with an emphasis on law enforcement in garrison. Participants included 28 Malawian military police.
Captain Barry Strube and Technical Sergeant David Webb from the Delaware Air National Guard led the week-long session in Lilongwe, which included discussion on military police operations in a tactical environment.
The MDF Military Police Company welcomed the opportunity to exchange ideas and concepts with their American counterparts from the Air National Guard. Major Simeon Namwera, the military police company commander and MDF Provost Marshall said that this event will "help the MDF military police and improve their ability to maintain law and order on MDF military establishments."
At the event's opening ceremony, American Ambassador to Malawi Peter Bodde hailed the exchange as a "very good sign of deepening bilateral relations between the two countries." Bodde also mentioned areas beyond security where Malawi and the United States work closely together, such as promoting economic development, improving health care and bettering education.
Also speaking at the opening ceremony, Lieutenant General Ernest C. Ntonya, Deputy Defence Force Commander, expressed the gratitude of the entire MDF for this event and noted past cooperation between the MDF and the U.S. Department of Defense. Ntonya asked the visiting Air Force facilitators to impart as much knowledge as possible and share their professional experiences with the MDF military police. He encouraged Strube and Webb to "ensure they left Malawi with empty baskets, having left behind knowledge and ideas for the military police."
The ground base security standards workshop is designed to assist the MDF in developing procedures for implementing security measures at home or when deployed. During the workshop the Air National Guard team introduced several topics of interest to the MDF. Chief among them were a review of base security and controlled access methods and procedures, patrolling and presence to deter intrusion, methods of marking military boundaries and channeling traffic, observation of base and training area perimeters, and a review of U.S. procedures for establishing the threat level and appropriate measured security responses to the threat.
Security cooperation events like this one in Malawi make a significant difference in helping the MDF to develop professionalism in its all volunteer force. The workshop provide the opportunity for members of the MDF Military Police Company to exchange information with their American counterparts and share their experiences and the challenges they face daily.
Several of the military policemen have participated in peace operations in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and are looking forward to deploying with the MDF to Chad as part of a Malawian contingent for the United Nations MINURCAT II peacekeeping mission.
Military Police Command Sergeant Major Dick Mwamvani said the most useful part of the exchange was the interaction with the American servicemen who were able to share their experiences applying theories to actual situations.
The event, the first to take place in Malawi, focused on ground base security standards with an emphasis on law enforcement in garrison. Participants included 28 Malawian military police.
Captain Barry Strube and Technical Sergeant David Webb from the Delaware Air National Guard led the week-long session in Lilongwe, which included discussion on military police operations in a tactical environment.
The MDF Military Police Company welcomed the opportunity to exchange ideas and concepts with their American counterparts from the Air National Guard. Major Simeon Namwera, the military police company commander and MDF Provost Marshall said that this event will "help the MDF military police and improve their ability to maintain law and order on MDF military establishments."
At the event's opening ceremony, American Ambassador to Malawi Peter Bodde hailed the exchange as a "very good sign of deepening bilateral relations between the two countries." Bodde also mentioned areas beyond security where Malawi and the United States work closely together, such as promoting economic development, improving health care and bettering education.
Also speaking at the opening ceremony, Lieutenant General Ernest C. Ntonya, Deputy Defence Force Commander, expressed the gratitude of the entire MDF for this event and noted past cooperation between the MDF and the U.S. Department of Defense. Ntonya asked the visiting Air Force facilitators to impart as much knowledge as possible and share their professional experiences with the MDF military police. He encouraged Strube and Webb to "ensure they left Malawi with empty baskets, having left behind knowledge and ideas for the military police."
The ground base security standards workshop is designed to assist the MDF in developing procedures for implementing security measures at home or when deployed. During the workshop the Air National Guard team introduced several topics of interest to the MDF. Chief among them were a review of base security and controlled access methods and procedures, patrolling and presence to deter intrusion, methods of marking military boundaries and channeling traffic, observation of base and training area perimeters, and a review of U.S. procedures for establishing the threat level and appropriate measured security responses to the threat.
Security cooperation events like this one in Malawi make a significant difference in helping the MDF to develop professionalism in its all volunteer force. The workshop provide the opportunity for members of the MDF Military Police Company to exchange information with their American counterparts and share their experiences and the challenges they face daily.
Several of the military policemen have participated in peace operations in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and are looking forward to deploying with the MDF to Chad as part of a Malawian contingent for the United Nations MINURCAT II peacekeeping mission.
Military Police Command Sergeant Major Dick Mwamvani said the most useful part of the exchange was the interaction with the American servicemen who were able to share their experiences applying theories to actual situations.
The Times of Zambia (Ndola) Zambia: 25 Somalis Nabbed for Entering State Illegally
THE department of immigration in Chipata has arrested 25 Somalis for entering the country illegally.
The prohibited immigrants, who were travelling from Malawi to Zimbabwe on their way to South Africa, were intercepted at Mpezeni Park grounds in Chipata on Tuesday night, as they wanted to hire a van.
Immigration department spokesperson, Mulako Mbangweta yesterday confirmed the arrest of the Somalis who were currently detained at Namuseche Remand Prison in Chipata. Ms Mbangweta said the Somalis, who were believed to have used a footpath to enter Zambia from Malawi were found with no valid travel documents.
"We arrested 25 Somali nationals who include 24 men and a 16-year-old girl. They were travelling from Malawi to Zimbabwe enroute to South Africa. We arrested them on Tuesday night at Mpezeni Park after a tip from the driver of a Canter they wanted to hire," she said.
Last month, the department arrested 77 Somalis and two Zambians who were believed to have masterminded the scam. The Somalis were arrested in Petauke when they entered Zambia illegally enroute to South Africa.
Ms Mbangweta said the 77 Somalis had since been prosecuted and were currently serving sentences in various prisons in Zambia. She said almost every week, the immigration department arrested Somalis for entering Zambia illegally.
In May, the department arrested 16 Malawians in Chipata who were in transit to South Africa for entering Zambia illegally. The Malawians were later deported back to Malawi.
"Human trafficking has been a lucrative job, we appeal to Zambians to report all suspicious foreign nationals they see in the country. We also urge Zambians not to harbour foreigners or assist them run away from immigration officers," she said.
Meanwhile, four Malawians have been arrested as they were trying to obtain green national registration cards (NRCs) in Mugubudu area in Chipata. Ms Mbangweta said the four were arrested after they wanted to take advantage of the on going mobile issuance of NRCs in Chipata. She appealed to the public to be vigilant and report all foreigners trying to take advantage of the mobile issuance of NRCs to obtain the cards.
Ms Mbangweta said that the four Malawians would appear in court soon.
The prohibited immigrants, who were travelling from Malawi to Zimbabwe on their way to South Africa, were intercepted at Mpezeni Park grounds in Chipata on Tuesday night, as they wanted to hire a van.
Immigration department spokesperson, Mulako Mbangweta yesterday confirmed the arrest of the Somalis who were currently detained at Namuseche Remand Prison in Chipata. Ms Mbangweta said the Somalis, who were believed to have used a footpath to enter Zambia from Malawi were found with no valid travel documents.
"We arrested 25 Somali nationals who include 24 men and a 16-year-old girl. They were travelling from Malawi to Zimbabwe enroute to South Africa. We arrested them on Tuesday night at Mpezeni Park after a tip from the driver of a Canter they wanted to hire," she said.
Last month, the department arrested 77 Somalis and two Zambians who were believed to have masterminded the scam. The Somalis were arrested in Petauke when they entered Zambia illegally enroute to South Africa.
Ms Mbangweta said the 77 Somalis had since been prosecuted and were currently serving sentences in various prisons in Zambia. She said almost every week, the immigration department arrested Somalis for entering Zambia illegally.
In May, the department arrested 16 Malawians in Chipata who were in transit to South Africa for entering Zambia illegally. The Malawians were later deported back to Malawi.
"Human trafficking has been a lucrative job, we appeal to Zambians to report all suspicious foreign nationals they see in the country. We also urge Zambians not to harbour foreigners or assist them run away from immigration officers," she said.
Meanwhile, four Malawians have been arrested as they were trying to obtain green national registration cards (NRCs) in Mugubudu area in Chipata. Ms Mbangweta said the four were arrested after they wanted to take advantage of the on going mobile issuance of NRCs in Chipata. She appealed to the public to be vigilant and report all foreigners trying to take advantage of the mobile issuance of NRCs to obtain the cards.
Ms Mbangweta said that the four Malawians would appear in court soon.
Malawi: HIV/AIDS deaths decrease
Malawi's HIV/AIDS mortality rate is reported to have gone down as the African continent continues to fight the disease. This is good news for the southern African country which has of late seen the pandemic raise the number of orphans to about one million.
HIV_AIDS_ACTIVISTS_SOUTH_AFRICA
The HIV/AIDS deaths are said to have gone down by 80 percent according to the country’s Secretary for Nutrition, HIV/AIDS Mary Shawa.
Shawa revealed the decrease in the death rate during the launch of the HIV and AIDS workplace policy for Malawi Institute of Management (MIM) in Malawi’s Capital, Lilongwe.
She attributed the remarkable drop to robust HIV/AIDS workplace policies which have enabled workers in both government and private sector to understand the devastating impact of the pandemic.
“Government has encouraged every institution to have a workplace policy which aims at providing services in HIV prevention, impact mitigation, reintegration of the people living with HIV (PLHIV),” Shawa said.
According to Malawi’s Daily Times, the HIV/AIDS prevalence rate is said to hover around 12 percent in a population of 13 million.
HIV deaths
The report further quoted Shawa as saying that, in the past 10 people died of HIV/AIDS every hour in the country but now mortality estimation reveals that two people are dying of HIV/Aids per hour.
Shawa said Malawi’s economy has operated at 65% due to HIV/AIDS related causes, adding that HIV/AIDS workplace policies play an important role to reduce deaths within the workplaces.
Malawi’s president Bingu Wa Mutharika said in June this year during the Candlelight memorial that the southern African country has intensified the war against Aids.
Mutharika said the country was providing Anti-Retroviral Therapy (ARVs) to those living with HIV adding that the provision of free ARVs was saving lives of many people.
The president also revealed that the country was making efforts to find a company to locally produce ARVs. Currently about 250,000 people are said to be on ARV’s in the country.
HIV_AIDS_ACTIVISTS_SOUTH_AFRICA
The HIV/AIDS deaths are said to have gone down by 80 percent according to the country’s Secretary for Nutrition, HIV/AIDS Mary Shawa.
Shawa revealed the decrease in the death rate during the launch of the HIV and AIDS workplace policy for Malawi Institute of Management (MIM) in Malawi’s Capital, Lilongwe.
She attributed the remarkable drop to robust HIV/AIDS workplace policies which have enabled workers in both government and private sector to understand the devastating impact of the pandemic.
“Government has encouraged every institution to have a workplace policy which aims at providing services in HIV prevention, impact mitigation, reintegration of the people living with HIV (PLHIV),” Shawa said.
According to Malawi’s Daily Times, the HIV/AIDS prevalence rate is said to hover around 12 percent in a population of 13 million.
HIV deaths
The report further quoted Shawa as saying that, in the past 10 people died of HIV/AIDS every hour in the country but now mortality estimation reveals that two people are dying of HIV/Aids per hour.
Shawa said Malawi’s economy has operated at 65% due to HIV/AIDS related causes, adding that HIV/AIDS workplace policies play an important role to reduce deaths within the workplaces.
Malawi’s president Bingu Wa Mutharika said in June this year during the Candlelight memorial that the southern African country has intensified the war against Aids.
Mutharika said the country was providing Anti-Retroviral Therapy (ARVs) to those living with HIV adding that the provision of free ARVs was saving lives of many people.
The president also revealed that the country was making efforts to find a company to locally produce ARVs. Currently about 250,000 people are said to be on ARV’s in the country.
Healthcare boost for Malawi
EXPERTS from Edinburgh University are to help address healthcare shortages in Malawi as part of a new agreement.
Clinicians and e-learning experts will develop an online teaching resource which should help train hundreds of new doctors and nurses in the country.
Areas such as maternal health, cardiology and neurology will all be boosted.
It is also hoped it will assist the development of those currently working in the healthcare system there.
Funded by the Scottish Government International Development Fund, the project will involve the use of the internet, cd-roms and mobile phones.
Edinburgh University's Prof David Dewhurst, who is heading the programme, said: "This initiative will help build up resources within Malawi to train new generations of doctors and other healthcare professionals."
Clinicians and e-learning experts will develop an online teaching resource which should help train hundreds of new doctors and nurses in the country.
Areas such as maternal health, cardiology and neurology will all be boosted.
It is also hoped it will assist the development of those currently working in the healthcare system there.
Funded by the Scottish Government International Development Fund, the project will involve the use of the internet, cd-roms and mobile phones.
Edinburgh University's Prof David Dewhurst, who is heading the programme, said: "This initiative will help build up resources within Malawi to train new generations of doctors and other healthcare professionals."
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
