Last night, President Peter Mutharika called for the restructure of the Special Cabinet Committee on Covid-19, giving it a new name while announcing that the prior members of the committee will now be known as the Presidential Task Force.

“I direct the government to restructure what we have so far called the Cabinet Committee on Coronavirus.” said the leader, “From now, it will be called the Presidential Task Force on Coronavirus. This task force will be co-chaired by a Cabinet minister and a professor in public health. The task force will directly report to me.”

The task force now includes professors and medical doctors from the University of Malawi, Leader of Opposition in Parliament Lobin Lowe, Public Affairs Committee chairperson Monsignor Patrick Thawale, a senior chief, civil society organisations (CSOs) representative and the Christian Health Association of Malawi (Cham).

Various stakeholders had been raising complaints that the prior committee only involved cabinet ministers, while the fight against the pandemic involves all players to be part of the committee.