The ministry of Health and Population has asked people to conduct demonstrations responsibly to avoid disruption of delivery of health services.

Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) trading under the banner Human Rights Defenders Coalition (HRDC) have started their two-day vigils on Thursday and Friday calling for the resignation of Malawi Electoral Commission (MEC) Chairperson, Justice Jane Ansah.

Director of Quality Management and Digital Health Department in the Ministry of Health and Population Dr Andrew Likaka told YFM that it is sad that people take opportunity of the protests to destroy government property.

“We are very concerned as a Ministry that people when they were protesting last two weeks they damaged ambulances which had patients, I think this is inhumane and uncalled for,” said Dr Likaka.

Dr Likaka added that the demonstrators need to be responsible when protesting in order not to disrupt other people including health workers.

“Health workers are there to save lives, and no matter the anger, we are calling for sanity to prevail, people need to be responsible to pave way for health workers even when people are demonstrating,” appealed Dr Likaka.

Concurring with Dr Likaka, one of the country’s health rights activists, Maziko Matemba said health workers need to be protected at all cost.

“I think it’s an important call that as health CSOs we are able to protect patients when they go to facilities such that no one is left behind despite others protesting,” said Matemba.