A Blantyre-based Non-Governmental Organisation that supports children and adults living with spina bifida and hydrocephalus (SBH) has expressed worry over increased cases of unmanaged Spina Bifida and Hydrocephalus conditions in Malawi due to lack of awareness on the disease.
The organisation is Child Help SBH and its Executive Director, Blessings Chapweteka, made the remarks in Blantyre on Thursday as Malawi joins the rest of the world in commemorating World Spina Bifida and Hydrocephalus day.
Chapweteka called for more awareness on the condition saying undocumented statistics indicate that over 20,000 Malawians have the condition but only 4,000 people are on record.
Mayor for Blantyre City Isaac Jomo Osman called on stakeholders to assist parents and guardians with children suffering from the diseases as they face challenges in taking care of them.
Spina bifida is a condition in which the spine and spinal cord do not develop properly.
This leads to disabilities while Hydrocephalus is the excess cerebrospinal fluid accumulation in the head leading to the head of a person becoming abnormally big.
Children are born with the condition caused by lack of some nutritious foods in the parents’ body.
This year’s commemorations were being held under the theme: United for SBH: Partnership and Resources for Change.
By Charles Pensulo
