Government through Ministry of education and ministry of health have outlined measures aimed at stopping the spread pink eye disease as schools opens across the country.

Blantyre District Director of Health and Social Services Gift Kawalazira said, the disease can be contagious and getting early diagnosis and taking certain precautions can help limit the spread

“We are encouraging students, teachers and parents to take hygiene  measures seriously as the disease is contagious and we are working hand in hand with the ministry of education to raise the awareness in schools on how to prevent the spreading of disease”, he said

Ministry of Education spokesperson Mphatso Nkuonera said, they are working hand in hand with the ministry of health to stop the spread of diseases among students in schools by suspending the handshakes, putting hygiene measures in all school.

Nkuonera further said that the ministries are conducting the awareness campaigns and media engagements on how to control and prevent the spreading of pink eye disease among students in schools.

“We are encouraging our learners in all schools to wash hands frequently, avoid shaking hands as we did with cholera and  Covid outbreaks and we asked all members of the community, chiefs, teachers and parents to work hand in hand to stop the spread of pink eye disease” Nkuonera said

He further said that it is important that ministries of health and education and others to cooperate in the fight as 3570 students were infected in different schools around the country

“We learnt during the Covid and cholera outbreaks that inter- ministerial cooperation is relevant in such matters”, he said

The disease was once reported in Karonga district in mid -February before spreading to other districts in central region and then later in southern region.

Signs and symptoms of pink eye diseases include; pink or red colour in the white part of the eye swelling of the eye lining, increased tear production, itching, eye discharge, painful eye and visual disturbance.