By Hashim Msusa

Coronavirus stepped into Malawi on 2nd April 2020, with cases extremely rising. From zero case to single digit cases and to multiple recorded cases now. Malawi started at a good pace, special committee appointed, schools closed, restriction on public gathering among the list. What has led to quick dying out of preventive measures of the virus?

On a quick take, Malawi should be serious in making control measures a priority at all levels of the society. We should not be spectators and become unworried yet coronavirus spread widens in our country. Covid-19 has disrupted the economy of many countries in addition to loss of lives.

The prime call on Covid-19 as it emerged worldwide was social distancing and constant washing of hands. Health organizations and experts have been promoting personal hygiene to limit the spread of coronavirus. In Malawi, companies and organizations started on the right note in helping government spearheading preventive measures. Washing hands upon entry in offices, shops and other public places became a new created culture.

However, while washing hands with sanitizer as one preventive measure was quickly embraced, the use of facemasks and social distancing has not been fully embraced. Not many followed social distancing seriously despite rising numbers of confirmed cases. From the look of things, we seem to have lost the fight to deal with prevention of the spread. We have no marked epicenters as the spread silently scattered across the population.

Won’t it be now difficult to reduce the number of new cases and prevent spread in densely populated urban and rural areas? The world observed Italy and other European countries when it failed to control the spread of Covid-19 because of waiting to put strict measures like failure to maintain social distancing. Where is Malawi in these preventive measures including social distancing, which became worse during the presidential election?

Everyone needs to be involved in the fight against the spread of coronavirus. Seriousness should start from families. Families are the main cells of the society, and its formation affects the structure of the whole society. In 1979 the World Health Organization (WHO) initiated a program themed “Health begins at Home” in acknowledging the importance of family health in the future of a community and population.

We should acknowledge that Covid-19 cases come from individual families, who ought to be honest for the good of the Malawi population. Families should take stock of their current status and report issues of Covid-19 to relevant authorities for the good of the nation. We are the architects of whatever situation of Covid-19 to the population.

God Almighty says in the Noble Qur’an, “Everything good that happens to you (O man) is from God, everything bad that happens to you is from your own actions.” (4:79) Malawi must immediately take rigorous positive and progressive actions in dealing with Covid-19 pandemic. Negligence, irresponsible citizenry will cost our life and that will be investing in bad things as the verse above states.

The population should declare Covid-19 a major concern. Each and every nation in the world is on duty to ensure that Covid-19 spread is prevented, reduced, and contained. God Almighty says in the Noble Qur’an, “Let there be among you a group that summons all to all that is beneficial, commands what is proper and forbids what is improper, they are the ones who will prosper.” (3:104)

Undeniably, Malawi’s Covid-19 spread tremendously grows, negligence on social distancing continues, washing of hands with sanitizers only happens when one gets into town, offices and other selected public places. Therefore, could there be anything beneficial as the verse states above than having a group of people engaged in summoning the Malawi population to revisit their position in the prevention of the spread of coronavirus?