The Bankers Association of Malawi (BAM) has joined hands with Kenyan-based CRB-Africa to form the first of its kind Credit Reference Bureau (CRB-Malawi). BAM President George Partridge who is also the country's CEO for Malawi's largest bank by assets, the National Bank of Malawi (NBM) said the bureau would help commercial banks stop wasting time and resources trying to establish history of customers.
The bureau, which is scheduled to open its doors by early November this year, is set to collect and compile information on the credit history of borrowers.
“This will enable participating financial institutions access [to] a prospective borrower's credit profile when assessing credit application,” he said.
CEO for CRB-Africa, Wachira Ndege, expressed his firm's excitement to collaborate with BAM: “We promise to set up a world class internationally benchmarked credit bureau operation that will help improve the quality of life for millions of citizens,” he said.
Partridge said with the coming of the bureau, the banks will reduce the risk and this will compel them to even reduce the mark up which banks charge on the base lending rate as a risk element insurance.
Friday, 14 August 2009
Survey: Malawian women fear child bearing
Some Malawian women have stated that child bearing is no longer joyful for them following harsh treatments from fellow female nurses during labour. They have requested for the services of male attendants during birth.
“They do insult us and sometimes beat us up. We opt to be attended by a male nurse or midwife because they treat us kindly, with respect and dignity,” Asiyatu Ibrahim, 46, a mother of five from Che Mbaluku in Mangochi said.
She stated that she was overwhelmed by a male nurse’s empathy during her fifth child's delivery. "My experience was totally different from previous deliveries whereby I was treated harshly,” she said adding, “In fact during my third pregnancy I was even slapped on the face by a nurse for failing to follow her instructions due to severe pain.”
Malawi’s Principal Secretary for Health Chris Kang’ombe attributed the poor nurse-patient relation to pressure as a result of staff shortage in public hospitals.
“To deal with the problem government has laid strategies to recruit more health workers including nurses and midwives with support from the donor community. This is spelt out in pillar number six of the Sector Wide Approach (Swap),” he said.
He said his outfit welcomes such criticisms because patients have the right to be treated with respect and dignity.
Rose Wasiri, a Principal for St Joseph College of Nursing in Chiradzuru said no nursing school or college teaches nurses and midwives the art of ill-treating patients including pregnant women. "Instead they are taught to treat patients with great care, compassion, respect and dignity," said Wasiri.
"Safe motherhood is a collective responsibility. For instance men's involvement in caring for expectant women could contribute tremendously in the reduction of infant and maternal deaths in this country," said Masepuka.
“They do insult us and sometimes beat us up. We opt to be attended by a male nurse or midwife because they treat us kindly, with respect and dignity,” Asiyatu Ibrahim, 46, a mother of five from Che Mbaluku in Mangochi said.
She stated that she was overwhelmed by a male nurse’s empathy during her fifth child's delivery. "My experience was totally different from previous deliveries whereby I was treated harshly,” she said adding, “In fact during my third pregnancy I was even slapped on the face by a nurse for failing to follow her instructions due to severe pain.”
Malawi’s Principal Secretary for Health Chris Kang’ombe attributed the poor nurse-patient relation to pressure as a result of staff shortage in public hospitals.
“To deal with the problem government has laid strategies to recruit more health workers including nurses and midwives with support from the donor community. This is spelt out in pillar number six of the Sector Wide Approach (Swap),” he said.
He said his outfit welcomes such criticisms because patients have the right to be treated with respect and dignity.
Rose Wasiri, a Principal for St Joseph College of Nursing in Chiradzuru said no nursing school or college teaches nurses and midwives the art of ill-treating patients including pregnant women. "Instead they are taught to treat patients with great care, compassion, respect and dignity," said Wasiri.
"Safe motherhood is a collective responsibility. For instance men's involvement in caring for expectant women could contribute tremendously in the reduction of infant and maternal deaths in this country," said Masepuka.
Less than one in five people with HIV in Kenya and Malawi know they are infected
Less than one in five people infected with HIV in Kenya and Malawi are aware of their infection status, research published in July 31st edition of AIDS shows. High levels of sexual risk behaviour were reported by HIV-positive individuals unaware of their infection, and many women with HIV had unwanted or unplanned pregnancies.
“Our results…demonstrate the urgent need to improve HIV testing uptake, which is a necessary first step to access prevention, care and treatment services”, write the researchers.
Individuals living with HIV are an important focus of HIV prevention interventions. Research conducted in a number of African countries has shown that individuals increase their condom use on finding out that they have HIV. Other studies demonstrate that contraceptive use is higher amongst women with HIV who know that they are infected with the virus.
Researchers therefore analysed the results of nationally representative surveys conducted in Kenya and Malawi to determine sexual risk behaviours, awareness of HIV status, and contraceptive use amongst individuals with HIV.
Individuals participating in both these studies provided information about their sexual risk behaviours, were tested for HIV, and women provided information on their use of contraception and stated whether their last pregnancy was unwanted or unplanned.
The majority of individuals with HIV were either married or co-habiting (Kenya, 62%; Malawi, 78%).
Only 3% of HIV-positive individuals in Kenya and 6% in Malawi said that their last sexual intercourse with their spouse or co-habiting partner was protected.
Few HIV-positive individuals were aware that they had the infection (Kenya, 20%; Malawi, 16%). Most of the individuals who were unaware that they had HIV knew of a facility where they could be tested for the virus. The investigators suggest that “HIV program planners may need to implement innovative approaches to increase utilization of HIV testing services.”
Almost three-quarters of HIV-positive individuals in Kenya who were unaware that they had the infection considered themselves to be at no or small risk of HIV.
Large numbers of HIV-infected individuals (Kenya, 50%; Malawi, 40%), had an HIV-negative spouse or cohabiting partner, “highlighting the importance of ensuring that couples receive HIV prevention programs”, comment the investigators. They add, “although it may be challenging to design prevention strategies for discordant couples, they present a significant risk group as most new infections in sub-Saharan Africa occur in discordant couples.”
Information about HIV was provided to a third of HIV-positive women in Kenya during their last pregnancy and 66% of women with HIV during their last pregnancy in Malawi. Only 14% of women in Malawi were tested for HIV during their last pregnancy.
Contraceptive use was low and was reported by 26% of HIV-infected women in Malawi and 19% in Kenya. The majority (54%) of HIV-positive women in Kenya and 40% of women with HIV in Malawi said that their last pregnancy was unplanned or unwanted. “Our findings underscore the need for integrated family planning services with HIV services.”
Reference
Anand A et al. Knowledge of HIV status, sexual risk behaviours and contraceptive need among people living with HIV in Kenya and Malawi. AIDS 23: 1565-1573, 2009.
“Our results…demonstrate the urgent need to improve HIV testing uptake, which is a necessary first step to access prevention, care and treatment services”, write the researchers.
Individuals living with HIV are an important focus of HIV prevention interventions. Research conducted in a number of African countries has shown that individuals increase their condom use on finding out that they have HIV. Other studies demonstrate that contraceptive use is higher amongst women with HIV who know that they are infected with the virus.
Researchers therefore analysed the results of nationally representative surveys conducted in Kenya and Malawi to determine sexual risk behaviours, awareness of HIV status, and contraceptive use amongst individuals with HIV.
Individuals participating in both these studies provided information about their sexual risk behaviours, were tested for HIV, and women provided information on their use of contraception and stated whether their last pregnancy was unwanted or unplanned.
The majority of individuals with HIV were either married or co-habiting (Kenya, 62%; Malawi, 78%).
Only 3% of HIV-positive individuals in Kenya and 6% in Malawi said that their last sexual intercourse with their spouse or co-habiting partner was protected.
Few HIV-positive individuals were aware that they had the infection (Kenya, 20%; Malawi, 16%). Most of the individuals who were unaware that they had HIV knew of a facility where they could be tested for the virus. The investigators suggest that “HIV program planners may need to implement innovative approaches to increase utilization of HIV testing services.”
Almost three-quarters of HIV-positive individuals in Kenya who were unaware that they had the infection considered themselves to be at no or small risk of HIV.
Large numbers of HIV-infected individuals (Kenya, 50%; Malawi, 40%), had an HIV-negative spouse or cohabiting partner, “highlighting the importance of ensuring that couples receive HIV prevention programs”, comment the investigators. They add, “although it may be challenging to design prevention strategies for discordant couples, they present a significant risk group as most new infections in sub-Saharan Africa occur in discordant couples.”
Information about HIV was provided to a third of HIV-positive women in Kenya during their last pregnancy and 66% of women with HIV during their last pregnancy in Malawi. Only 14% of women in Malawi were tested for HIV during their last pregnancy.
Contraceptive use was low and was reported by 26% of HIV-infected women in Malawi and 19% in Kenya. The majority (54%) of HIV-positive women in Kenya and 40% of women with HIV in Malawi said that their last pregnancy was unplanned or unwanted. “Our findings underscore the need for integrated family planning services with HIV services.”
Reference
Anand A et al. Knowledge of HIV status, sexual risk behaviours and contraceptive need among people living with HIV in Kenya and Malawi. AIDS 23: 1565-1573, 2009.
Less than one in five people with HIV in Kenya and Malawi know they are infected
Less than one in five people infected with HIV in Kenya and Malawi are aware of their infection status, research published in July 31st edition of AIDS shows. High levels of sexual risk behaviour were reported by HIV-positive individuals unaware of their infection, and many women with HIV had unwanted or unplanned pregnancies.
“Our results…demonstrate the urgent need to improve HIV testing uptake, which is a necessary first step to access prevention, care and treatment services”, write the researchers.
Individuals living with HIV are an important focus of HIV prevention interventions. Research conducted in a number of African countries has shown that individuals increase their condom use on finding out that they have HIV. Other studies demonstrate that contraceptive use is higher amongst women with HIV who know that they are infected with the virus.
Researchers therefore analysed the results of nationally representative surveys conducted in Kenya and Malawi to determine sexual risk behaviours, awareness of HIV status, and contraceptive use amongst individuals with HIV.
Individuals participating in both these studies provided information about their sexual risk behaviours, were tested for HIV, and women provided information on their use of contraception and stated whether their last pregnancy was unwanted or unplanned.
The majority of individuals with HIV were either married or co-habiting (Kenya, 62%; Malawi, 78%).
Only 3% of HIV-positive individuals in Kenya and 6% in Malawi said that their last sexual intercourse with their spouse or co-habiting partner was protected.
Few HIV-positive individuals were aware that they had the infection (Kenya, 20%; Malawi, 16%). Most of the individuals who were unaware that they had HIV knew of a facility where they could be tested for the virus. The investigators suggest that “HIV program planners may need to implement innovative approaches to increase utilization of HIV testing services.”
Almost three-quarters of HIV-positive individuals in Kenya who were unaware that they had the infection considered themselves to be at no or small risk of HIV.
Large numbers of HIV-infected individuals (Kenya, 50%; Malawi, 40%), had an HIV-negative spouse or cohabiting partner, “highlighting the importance of ensuring that couples receive HIV prevention programs”, comment the investigators. They add, “although it may be challenging to design prevention strategies for discordant couples, they present a significant risk group as most new infections in sub-Saharan Africa occur in discordant couples.”
Information about HIV was provided to a third of HIV-positive women in Kenya during their last pregnancy and 66% of women with HIV during their last pregnancy in Malawi. Only 14% of women in Malawi were tested for HIV during their last pregnancy.
Contraceptive use was low and was reported by 26% of HIV-infected women in Malawi and 19% in Kenya. The majority (54%) of HIV-positive women in Kenya and 40% of women with HIV in Malawi said that their last pregnancy was unplanned or unwanted. “Our findings underscore the need for integrated family planning services with HIV services.”
Reference
Anand A et al. Knowledge of HIV status, sexual risk behaviours and contraceptive need among people living with HIV in Kenya and Malawi. AIDS 23: 1565-1573, 2009.
“Our results…demonstrate the urgent need to improve HIV testing uptake, which is a necessary first step to access prevention, care and treatment services”, write the researchers.
Individuals living with HIV are an important focus of HIV prevention interventions. Research conducted in a number of African countries has shown that individuals increase their condom use on finding out that they have HIV. Other studies demonstrate that contraceptive use is higher amongst women with HIV who know that they are infected with the virus.
Researchers therefore analysed the results of nationally representative surveys conducted in Kenya and Malawi to determine sexual risk behaviours, awareness of HIV status, and contraceptive use amongst individuals with HIV.
Individuals participating in both these studies provided information about their sexual risk behaviours, were tested for HIV, and women provided information on their use of contraception and stated whether their last pregnancy was unwanted or unplanned.
The majority of individuals with HIV were either married or co-habiting (Kenya, 62%; Malawi, 78%).
Only 3% of HIV-positive individuals in Kenya and 6% in Malawi said that their last sexual intercourse with their spouse or co-habiting partner was protected.
Few HIV-positive individuals were aware that they had the infection (Kenya, 20%; Malawi, 16%). Most of the individuals who were unaware that they had HIV knew of a facility where they could be tested for the virus. The investigators suggest that “HIV program planners may need to implement innovative approaches to increase utilization of HIV testing services.”
Almost three-quarters of HIV-positive individuals in Kenya who were unaware that they had the infection considered themselves to be at no or small risk of HIV.
Large numbers of HIV-infected individuals (Kenya, 50%; Malawi, 40%), had an HIV-negative spouse or cohabiting partner, “highlighting the importance of ensuring that couples receive HIV prevention programs”, comment the investigators. They add, “although it may be challenging to design prevention strategies for discordant couples, they present a significant risk group as most new infections in sub-Saharan Africa occur in discordant couples.”
Information about HIV was provided to a third of HIV-positive women in Kenya during their last pregnancy and 66% of women with HIV during their last pregnancy in Malawi. Only 14% of women in Malawi were tested for HIV during their last pregnancy.
Contraceptive use was low and was reported by 26% of HIV-infected women in Malawi and 19% in Kenya. The majority (54%) of HIV-positive women in Kenya and 40% of women with HIV in Malawi said that their last pregnancy was unplanned or unwanted. “Our findings underscore the need for integrated family planning services with HIV services.”
Reference
Anand A et al. Knowledge of HIV status, sexual risk behaviours and contraceptive need among people living with HIV in Kenya and Malawi. AIDS 23: 1565-1573, 2009.
Local searchers help recover body in Malawi
A wicked winter storm was pouring rain when adventurer Gabriel Buchman turned for home after scaling Sapitwa Peak in Malawi.
A dual citizen of France and Brazil, Buchman had kissed his girlfriend, Christina goodbye and headed up the mountain on July 17 — the middle of winter in the southern hemisphere.
If he had only taken a pack of matches, Buchman would likely have made it safely home, says one of the Canadian rescuers who helped recover his body.
Buchman had been reported missing for two days after leaving to hike up the mountain, which is located in the landlocked republic sandwiched between Tanzania, Zambia and Mozambique.
On July 22, volunteers with Red Deer-based Canadian International Rescue Organization were called to help search for the missing man. They left on July 27 and arrived on the mountain on July 30.
“(Local teams) had been searching for seven or eight days by the time we got going. They probably had between 20 to 50 guys out a day, locals and the mountain rescue team.”
Members of Red Deer Search and Rescue formed CIRO about two years ago in response to a deadly earthquake in China. Society members had learned that their insurance would not cover them on missions outside of Alberta, said search leader Marcel Schur.
So the society created a new group within its organization to attend international disasters. The group then attempted to get into China to help with the rescue efforts, but got only as far as Hong Kong, where Chinese officials turned them back.
There were no similar glitches when the six-member team from Red Deer, joined by Jacundo Garcia from Argentina, boarded a plane for the 27-hour flight into Malawi.
They set up a search plan immediately upon arriving at the base camp and discussing what had been done so far by other teams there.
On Wednesday, Aug. 5, searchers learned that a local man had found Buchman’s body in a small shelter he had built under a boulder.
He had been overcome by the cold.
From evidence found on the mountain, including photos in Buchman’s camera, the rescuers determined that Buchman had been caught in a storm and became disoriented in heavy fog.
Cold and wet, he had camped on the west face and then headed down the south side, a path that took him in the opposite direction of the cache of dry clothes and other supplies he had placed on its north face.
“He used up all his energy to get out of the situation and it didn’t work,” said Schur.
“His biggest problem was that he had no visibility. He had no GPS, no cellphone, no matches. If he would have had matches, he probably would have had a fire. He had lots of stuff there to make a fire.”
The rescue became a recovery.
CIRO was the second of three teams, including police and porters, to make the five-hour hike up to the site where Buchman’s body lay, about six km from where he had first set out.
The Red Deer crew arrived just before midnight and prepared to spend the night at a nearby hut.
Ironically, the porters had not brought enough food and water for everyone, so people were hungry and suffered energy loss on the trip back, said Schur.
Trip logistics broke down because too many people assumed other people were looking after those details, he said.
Regardless of their personal misery, the teams were able to bring the body back to base camp the next day.
Malawi police conducted an investigation and determined that there was no foul play.
Having arrived at home late on Monday evening, Schur said he and his teammates feel good about the job they did, even though they ended up recovering a body rather than rescuing a living man.
Along with Schur, CIRO members involved in the mission were Jamie Schur, Randi Butler, Adam Beverley, Ashley Johansen and Laurie Patterson.
The group brings with it a variety of technical expertise, including Marcel’s work as a safety consultant and Johansen’s experience as an emergency room nurse.
The Malawi recovery is the biggest international response the team has provided so far, said Schur.
Previously, it had gone to Italy to provide technical support in a search for earthquake victims. However, their instruments are used for finding living people. The group was called off shortly after it got started because officials believed there was no on left alive.
Buchman’s body was returned to Brazil.
A dual citizen of France and Brazil, Buchman had kissed his girlfriend, Christina goodbye and headed up the mountain on July 17 — the middle of winter in the southern hemisphere.
If he had only taken a pack of matches, Buchman would likely have made it safely home, says one of the Canadian rescuers who helped recover his body.
Buchman had been reported missing for two days after leaving to hike up the mountain, which is located in the landlocked republic sandwiched between Tanzania, Zambia and Mozambique.
On July 22, volunteers with Red Deer-based Canadian International Rescue Organization were called to help search for the missing man. They left on July 27 and arrived on the mountain on July 30.
“(Local teams) had been searching for seven or eight days by the time we got going. They probably had between 20 to 50 guys out a day, locals and the mountain rescue team.”
Members of Red Deer Search and Rescue formed CIRO about two years ago in response to a deadly earthquake in China. Society members had learned that their insurance would not cover them on missions outside of Alberta, said search leader Marcel Schur.
So the society created a new group within its organization to attend international disasters. The group then attempted to get into China to help with the rescue efforts, but got only as far as Hong Kong, where Chinese officials turned them back.
There were no similar glitches when the six-member team from Red Deer, joined by Jacundo Garcia from Argentina, boarded a plane for the 27-hour flight into Malawi.
They set up a search plan immediately upon arriving at the base camp and discussing what had been done so far by other teams there.
On Wednesday, Aug. 5, searchers learned that a local man had found Buchman’s body in a small shelter he had built under a boulder.
He had been overcome by the cold.
From evidence found on the mountain, including photos in Buchman’s camera, the rescuers determined that Buchman had been caught in a storm and became disoriented in heavy fog.
Cold and wet, he had camped on the west face and then headed down the south side, a path that took him in the opposite direction of the cache of dry clothes and other supplies he had placed on its north face.
“He used up all his energy to get out of the situation and it didn’t work,” said Schur.
“His biggest problem was that he had no visibility. He had no GPS, no cellphone, no matches. If he would have had matches, he probably would have had a fire. He had lots of stuff there to make a fire.”
The rescue became a recovery.
CIRO was the second of three teams, including police and porters, to make the five-hour hike up to the site where Buchman’s body lay, about six km from where he had first set out.
The Red Deer crew arrived just before midnight and prepared to spend the night at a nearby hut.
Ironically, the porters had not brought enough food and water for everyone, so people were hungry and suffered energy loss on the trip back, said Schur.
Trip logistics broke down because too many people assumed other people were looking after those details, he said.
Regardless of their personal misery, the teams were able to bring the body back to base camp the next day.
Malawi police conducted an investigation and determined that there was no foul play.
Having arrived at home late on Monday evening, Schur said he and his teammates feel good about the job they did, even though they ended up recovering a body rather than rescuing a living man.
Along with Schur, CIRO members involved in the mission were Jamie Schur, Randi Butler, Adam Beverley, Ashley Johansen and Laurie Patterson.
The group brings with it a variety of technical expertise, including Marcel’s work as a safety consultant and Johansen’s experience as an emergency room nurse.
The Malawi recovery is the biggest international response the team has provided so far, said Schur.
Previously, it had gone to Italy to provide technical support in a search for earthquake victims. However, their instruments are used for finding living people. The group was called off shortly after it got started because officials believed there was no on left alive.
Buchman’s body was returned to Brazil.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
