Project to rehabilitate 200 boreholes in Mzimba

Operation Eyesight Universal has launched a project to rehabilitate 200 boreholes in Mzimba District under its trachoma elimination initiative. Speaking on Friday during the launch at Manyamula in Traditional Authority M’mbelwa, the organisation’s country director Kennedy Phiri said the project will help reduce the long distance women travel to fetch water. He also said it will contribute to the reduction of trachoma cases, which are often linked to poor hygiene and limited access to clean water.

Said Phiri: “Mzimba was chosen for this project because, firstly, most areas have no access to clean water due to broken boreholes. “Secondly, there are many trachoma cases in Mzimba due to lack of hygiene.” He added that the one-year project will also benefit people of Karonga and Chitipa districts with renovation of 50 boreholes each. M’mbelwa District Council chairperson Joel Nkhata welcomed the initiative, noting that it will address long-standing water challenges in the district.

“We have a number of boreholes which are not functioning and rehabilitating them means people will access clean water,” he said. Meanwhile, the council’s director of health and social services Prince Chirwa acknowledged that trachoma cases are common in Mzimba, saying about 52 people need surgical procedures. “So this project is welcome because it will help to strengthen efforts to eliminate trachoma,” he said. A community member Esther Mahawo said the project will ease water challenges as they used to travel 10 kilometres to access water.