The Minister of Health, Honourable Dr Jean Kalirani, MP, on Thursday, 10th November, 2011, launched National Hand Washing Campaign at Kalambo Full Primary School ground in Area 25 in Lilongwe.The launch ceremony was also attended by other senior officials from the Ministries of Health, Water development, Education, Local Government; traditional leaders, Malawi National team coach (as Good will ambassador), teachers and pupils.
The launch ceremony was preceded by the campaign concept brief by the Ministry of Health and UNICEF to prospective doners and partners of the campaign. This was felt necessary as one way of soliciting funding and support in any kind towards the campaign, as no steady funding of the campaign has been secured.
From right Deputy Director Mr Masuku, PS Dr Charles Mwansambo,Minister of Health Dr Jean Kalirani
The presenter was the Principle Environmental Health Officer responsible for water, sanitation and hygiene, Mr Young Samanyika, who is also the coordinator of the campaign.This session was attended by representatives from DFID, USAID, Save the Children, Standard Bank, Water Aid, Arkay Plastics Limited and other Non Governmental Organisations.
By Young Samanyika The 2011 national annual Environmental Health Services (EHS) review meeting was held from 2nd to 4th November, 2011 at Chikho hotel in Kasungu district.
Kasungu district is located to the northern part of central region of Malawi, about 180 kilometres north of the capital city, Lilongwe. The meeting was attended by over fifty six Environmental Health (EH) staff from twenty three of twenty-eight districts of the country. Each District Health Office (DHO) sent two delegates: the District Environmental Health Officer (DEHO) and any other EH staff, either an Environmental Health Officer (EHO) or an Assistant Environmental Health Officer (AEHO).
Malawi, just like any sub-saharan African country, has experienced a rampant growth of food vending in the informal sector. This includes food sold along streets; in bus depots, on open grounds in markets, schools, hospitals and work places. The rapid growth of food vending has been facilitated by rapid growth of urban populations due to urbanization, coupled with increased urban poverty. As a result, the informal food vending has fast emerged as a livelihood strategy and source of inexpensive food for many poor households. Informal food vending has also been taken as an important source of employment, particularly for women who are quite often victims of poverty. Street food is a source of livelihood for people who are unable to establish business for lack of capital.
By James Mtonga (EHO) Ntchisi DHO, Class Representative
As a requirement and an integral part of government policy, Civil Servants get and induction course as soon as they are recruited. Though this is a requirement, Environmental Health Officers were not being accorded this course until last year when the first group went for induction. This year the second group was also given an opportunity to undergo the same. It is hoped that this trend will continue.
Ventilated Improved Pit-latrines, popularly known as VIPs, are the commonest type of latrine at premises whose proprietors or authorities would like to construct as the next option to water closets or flush toilets in case of absence of direct premise water connection in Malawi. VIPs are very common at schools, health facilities, markets, churches, houses of well to do people in areas where there are not household water connections and as stand-by facilities at households with water closets but with unreliable water supplies.
It has always been assumed that all Environmental Health staff are conversant with the operation mechanisms of VIPs. However it is always surprising during our field visits that most of these so called VIPs do not conform to required design standards despite being supervised or inspected at a certain point by Environmental Health staff during construction. This has been raising questions as to whether the assumption is really true or not.
news
, PS Dr Charles Mwansambo, Minister of Health Dr Jean Kalirani_0.JPG)
Health, Water development, Education, Local Government; traditional leaders, Malawi National team coach (as Good will ambassador), teachers and pupils. 
The 2011 national annual Environmental Health Services (EHS) review meeting was held from 2nd to 4th November, 2011 at Chikho hotel in Kasungu district. 
Malawi, just like any sub-saharan African country, has experienced a rampant growth of food vending in the informal sector. This includes food sold along streets; in bus depots, on open grounds in markets, schools, hospitals and work places. The rapid growth of food vending has been facilitated by rapid growth of urban populations due to urbanization, coupled with increased urban poverty. As a result, the informal food vending has fast emerged as a livelihood strategy and source of inexpensive food for many poor households. Informal food vending has also been taken as an important source of employment, particularly for women who are quite often victims of poverty. Street food is a source of livelihood for people who are unable to establish business for lack of capital. 
As a requirement and an integral part of government policy, Civil Servants get and induction course as soon as they are recruited. Though this is a requirement, Environmental Health Officers were not being accorded this course until last year when the first group went for induction. This year the second group was also given an opportunity to undergo the same. It is hoped that this trend will continue.
Ventilated Improved Pit-latrines, popularly known as VIPs, are the commonest type of latrine at premises whose proprietors or authorities would like to construct as the next option to water closets or flush toilets in case of absence of direct premise water connection in Malawi. VIPs are very common at schools, health facilities, markets, churches, houses of well to do people in areas where there are not household water connections and as stand-by facilities at households with water closets but with unreliable water supplies.