Almost 1,000 people have died from cholera in Malawi since November and about 33,000 infections have been reported up to mid-April, the national health department told IRIN on Friday.

Malawi has to wait for IMF to review it's fiscal discipline prior to receiving US$47-million in Poverty Reduction and Growth Facility funding.

The Government has been named as the biggest violator of the freedom of expression in Malawi followed by the general public, politicians and then employers. Surprisingly, the Malawi Police Service is seen as the least violator, according to a recent survey conducted by Media Council of Malawi (MCM).

Over 40% of Malawi's national budget is dependent on aid, but international aid has dropped in recent years, due to concerns about the way the economy is run. The government now needs £10 million to tackle the crisis: only the UK, China and Japan have committed funds so far.

THE International Monetary Fund (IMF) has asked government to expedite and conclude long-standing corruption cases and intensify the fight against fraud in public institutions or lose donor confidence.