BACKGROUND

Ntchisi district is located in the Central Region of Malawi. The COVID-19 Emergency Treatment Unit (ETU) at Ntchisi District Hospital, has a bed capacity of 8 and only 3 are functional bed spaces. Ntchisi Covid-19 Response (NSCov19R) has been duly commissioned by NSDI and Ntchisi Directorate of Health and Social Services (DHSS), to mobilise resources for the fight against Covid-19 in Ntchisi from various well-wishers. The response will focus on prevention and control of transmission through awareness campaigns, supporting the isolation centre and ETU at the District Hospital as well as strengthening the capacity of the District Rapid Response Team (RRT) in provision of psycho-socio support to COVID 19 patients and their families.

PROBLEM STATEMENT

Through informal situational analysis, NSDI found the following as the current challenges that Ntchisi District is facing during the Covid-19 pandemic:

1• Lack of or little knowledge among Ntchisi residents about Covid-19 and its causative agent, coronavirus (SARS COV19).

2• Social, cultural and spiritual beliefs that fuel myths around Coid-19

3• Proliferation of unfounded & falsified messages and myths about Covid-19 that circulate through social media; Inadequate psycho-social counselling for people who are diagnosed with Covid-19Insufficient functional medical equipment and suppliesfor Covid-19 clinical case management.

PROJECT GOAL

Through NSCov19R, NSDI aims at ensuring that the rural masses in Ntchisi are well informed about Covid-19 so that they can take all necessary steps on how to protect themselves from getting the corona virus, prevent transmission to others; and equipping the district hospital to effectively manage those already infected with SARS COV19.

OBJECTIVES

1• To make sure that people of Ntchisi and any other well-wishers are part and parcel of the fight against Covid-19 by contributing financially and in kind.

2• To make sure that the communities get the necessary information regarding Covid-19 prevention, transmission, and care of the infected people.

3• To create an environment where all the Covid-19 infected people of Ntchisi are managed effectively through necessary tools and supplies.

4•To strengthen the capacity of the mental and general health care workers to provide improved psychosocial
counselling and support to the Covid-19 virus affected individuals and their families.

IMPLEMENTATION PLAN

1• All NSCov19R activities will be implemented in liaison with the District Health Office (DHO).
a• A detailed phased activity plan will follow based on the amount of money mobilised periodically.
b• Prioritisation of the interventions will be based on the prevailing needs that are not yet supported by other partners at each implementation phase.

2• Community involvement in information dissemination will be promoted by using existing community structures such as Churches, Traditional/cultural leaders, and Political leaders, to spread the right information about of Covid-19 in Ntchisi District. The role of NSCov19R task team will be to facilitate provision of the right messages and some IEC materials.

3• All mobilised funds and the expenditure will be reported by the NSCov19R taskforce openly to NSDI members, to Ntchisi Director of Health and Social Services, and to all sponsors and well-wishers.