Ministry of Health and Population says it is engaging with local leaders in the country to sensitize people on the importance of prioritizing hospital treatment for cholera.

This comes amidst observations that some patients are delaying seeking medical attention due to beliefs that cholera is caused by witchcraft.

Spokesperson for the Ministry Joshua Malango told YFM online that they are working together with traditional and religious leaders to educate their subjects on the importance of receiving immediate medical attention.

Malango described such a belief as ‘fatal’.

“Traditional herbs are being used instead of seeking immediate medical attention this is putting more lives at risk,” he said.

Malango explained that the Ministry will update the Cholera leaflets distributed in churches so that they address the issue of superstition.

He however commended the progress the sensitization campaign has made so far.

“Progress has been registered and we hope that in the coming few weeks more people will be encouraged to seek medical care and not to believe to have been bewitched,” he elaborated.

Karonga and Lilongwe districts have been worst hit by the cholera outbreak registering 277 and 164 incidents respectively out of a total of 546.

So far four and five deaths have been registered in Karonga and Lilongwe respectively, with one death recorded in Salima.