President Lungu tours Bauleni school, clinic on New Years Day

President Edgar Lungu has called for prioritizing the involvement of school going children in cholera sensitization campaigns in order to contain the pandemic that has ravaged Lusaka and has since spread to Lundazi District in Eastern Province.

President Lungu said that pupils are an important resource in sensitizing families and the general public on the need to maintain high standards of hygiene in communities and schools across the country.

ZANIS reports that the Head of State said this yestarday when he toured Bauleni Primary School in Lusaka where he was accompanied by Ministers of Commerce and Health Margaret Mwanakatwe and Chitalu Chilufya.

President Lungu was given a thunderous welcome by hundreds of pupils who had left their New Year celebrations at home to catch a glimpse of the head of state.

The pupils got a New Year treat as they interacted with President Lungu and impressed him with their general knowledge of cholera and prevention tips.

“You pupils can help sensitize families to contain cholera by telling them to wash hands, maintain hygiene. As learners, you can influence us to change,” said President Lungu.

The President also pledged to upgrade and improve Bauleni Primary School into a state of the art ultra-modern secondary school equipped with necessary equipment.

President Lungu said his government is committed to providing secondary education to Bauleni residents in line with the vision of late President Michael Sata who built and opened the school in 1982 when he was area councilor.

The president implored teachers to ensure that pupils learn and appreciate the meaning and value of the national anthem.

He said the national anthem identifies with the country’s history, background and identity which must be passed on to all pupils.

President Lungu later distributed hampers to the excited pupils whom he challenged to work hard in school so that they can contribute to national development.

And speaking earlier Bauleni Primary School Headmaster Sikubele Wambinji said the school has 2,039 pupils and are serviced by 45 teachers of which 43 are females.

Area Member of Parliament Margaret Mwanakatwe told the pupils that they were blessed as the Head of State had chosen to visit them on New Year’s Day.

Mrs Mwanakatwe said government is committed to arresting the cholera situation in Lusaka and that is why it had closed Bauleni’s Katambalala market and other markets including Soweto and the central business district in order to clean up the areas and put in place long lasting remedial measures to arrest the spread of cholera in Lusaka.

And earlier at Bauleni Clinic, President Lungu presented hampers to five New Year babies born at the health facility between midnight and 10 hrs today.

The five are two boys namely Mwila Katumwende and Misheck Kasonde and the girls being Blessing Mutale, Vainess Mumba and Favour Phiri.

President Lungu advised the mothers of the New Year babies to look after the children well and ensure that they are in good health.