In the remote villages of Mwanza District, a deadly mix of misinformation and unsafe water is driving a surge in cholera cases, with some families resorting to drinking chlorine in a desperate attempt to treat the disease.
In Kosamu Village, under Senior Chief Kanduku, 20-year-old Esther Dimiyoni became one of the latest victims.
When she began vomiting and suffering from severe diarrhea last Thursday, her family turned to what they believed was a cure, forcing her to drink chlorine, a chemical meant strictly for water purification, not consumption.
“After I heard she was sick, I asked her in-laws to bring her back to me, and I learnt that she had been given chlorine ever since she started feeling unwell,” lamented her mother, Christina Black.
For Esther’s family and many others in the village, access to clean and safe water remains a distant reality.
“The distance to the nearest borehole is about 5 to 6 kilometres. Because of that, I rely on stream water, which is closer to my house, for all domestic use,” said Christina.
That same stream, however, may be silently carrying the very disease now threatening their lives.
Esther’s case is not isolated.
In another household, the family of Esnart Manuel also risked their lives on the same dangerous belief. Three family members, a father and his two children were battling vomiting and diarrhea last week.
Fortunately, they sought medical attention in time and have since been discharged from Mwanza District Hospital after recovering.
A visit by #MBCDigital revealed that the household does not have a pit latrine, forcing family members to use nearby bushes, a practice that increases the risk of contamination and the spread of disease and a major driver of cholera transmission in such communities.
The use of chlorine as a supposed treatment is only part of a much bigger problem. Many families continue to rely on untreated stream water for drinking and other household needs.
Tamandani Kuchanje, an Environmental Health Officer at Mwanza District Hospital, says lack of accurate information about cholera, coupled with poor sanitation, is driving the outbreak in the area.
“In the past 24 hours alone, three people from this village have tested positive for cholera,” he said.
Despite the growing number of cases, health authorities say efforts are underway to contain the outbreak.
On Sunday, a team of health workers was deployed to the area to collect water samples, distribute hygiene materials including chlorine and water buckets and conduct civic education campaigns.
Meanwhile, of the 152 cholera cases recorded in Mwanza District since December 1, 2025, only 25 are locally transmitted, while the majority are linked to cross-border infections from Mozambique, raising concerns about both imported and community spread.
For Esther, help came just in time. She was eventually rushed by ambulance to Mwanza District Hospital, where she is now receiving treatment.
Commenting on the situation, Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) advocate Walesi Mwandira has called on district councils to ensure that communities have access to and are consuming treated water.
However, he expressed concern over the reduction in WASH funding in the current national budget, warning that the drop from K285 billion to K190 billion this financial year will negatively affect the implementation of sanitation and hygiene projects critical for cholera prevention.
In a separate interview, Executive Director for the Malawi Health Equity Network, George Jobe, has also urged the public to refrain from using chlorine as medicine, warning that it poses serious health risks, including death.
By Catherine Alumando, Mwanza
