Sunday, December 1, 2024

Cholera cases have continued to propagate in most parts of Lusaka

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Health Minister Dr Chitalu Chilufya

Minister of Health, Hon. Dr Chitalu Chilufya has reported that Cholera cases have continued to propagate in most parts of Lusaka and also that some districts outside the capital have continued recording sporadic cases that are linked to Lusaka.

“Cumulatively, we have recorded a total of 2205 cases and in the last 24 hours, we did not record any deaths which is a commendable feat.” He said.

He stated that interventions had been heightened in all the affected areas.

” We have heightened interventions in all the affected areas, expanding access to clean and fresh water in Chawama, in Kanyama, in Chipata and we have embarked on a robust program to bury shallow wells that have contaminated water in Kanyama. ” He said.

” Our youths and the armed forces are working closely to ensure that this is attained in the shortest period possible.” He added.

He stated that as they heightened interventions to improve waste management, and other interventions to control the cholera epidemic, there was need for them to place emphasis on certain points.

” Statutory no. 79 of 2017 is active and will be enforced. In this regard, no public gatherings will be allowed in all the affected areas. And in any other part of lusaka where people want to gather, there should be express permission from the National Public Health institute or from the Ministry of Health.” He said.

And the Minister emphasised that they had temporarily suspended street vending and trading in most markets that did not have good sanitation and that they were Focusing on cleaning up the said markets using the marketeers, the youth and the armed forces to ensure that there were good sanitation facilities in the markets.

” We are also unclogging drainages, ensuring that we escalate waste management and more mechanised equipment has been mobilised to expedite this process.” He said.

” At an appropriate time , the central command will give information on the progressive reopening of markets. We must emphasis that we are working swiftly and are putting up a programme where we will progressively reopen markets that meet the sanitation requirements that we have set. ” He said.

And Hon. Chilufya also stated that all food outlets in the Country, up market or Otherwise, would continue to be inspected and that those that would not meet the standards would be shut down.

” In the last 24 hours, we got more results from the laboratories and unfortunately, some more upmarket places have recorded some results that show that there is contamination . And we want to emphasis that this contamination is coming from various sources. Some workers are coming from areas where the epicentre is and sometimes some of the vegetables, some of the products that people are selling in some of these places are contaminated because of flies and the other drivers.” He said .

” It is important for us to continue giving results of food sampled from various outlets and in the last 24 hours, we have closed down some food outlets based on the results we have recieved. ” Said The Minister.

Information released by the Ministry so far indicates as follows.

*The outlets that have so far been closed include:*

1. Hungry Lion in Cairo Rd
2. Hungry Lion at Levy Junction
3. Asian Hut at Levy Junction
4. Wimpy at Levy Junction
5.Hungry Lion at Kulima Tower.
6. Kumushi Restaurant in the Show Grounds.

And the outlets whose samples have been taken awaiting results include:

1.Pick n Pay at Woodlands Mall
2.Debonaires
3.Mika Convention Centre .

28 COMMENTS

  1. Chilufya is a joke. He and his team have mismanaged the cholera outbreak which they could easily have done when there were only 5 cases in early October. Chilufya is all talk and his Boss the president buys it. Can Chilufya lead by example and not interfere with police in prosecuting those demonstrating against Kalaba in Luapula. Statutory no. 79 of 2017 is clear and can we please be a nation of laws for once

    • This cholera situation is just the epitome of what is so wrong about this Govt.
      They directed their cadres to take over the running of markets and stations, collecting daily levies from poor marketers, money which the council could have been using to dispose of the garbage generated in these markets. Now they turn around and blame the poor marketers for the same garbage which is the responsibility of any normal functioning council. Then you have a Minister who is literally trying to gain political mileage out of a health situation which is quickly getting out of control. Let technocrats deal with this epidemic before you ground the whole country to a halt! Oh wait a minute, you fired all competent staff!!! Sad thing is, this cholera issue might actually end up being chilufya’s undoing…

    • Cholera prevention and redress requires and demands a comprehensive suite of measures–economic, social, urban design and political. The key aspect is arguably political. First of all a section of ignoramuses helped an incompetent, clue-less thug into the presidency. He lacks any serious policy expertise, nor sorrounds himself with serious policy wonks. ECL responses have been declaring state of emergence, frequent flights to foregin inauguration events.and reactive responses. Cholera like so many things in this country shows how lacking and terribly deficient Edgar Chakolwa Lungu is. Why can’t motions be moved to recall or remove this clue-less and incompetent man? Zambians deserve better.

  2. Ba minishta, whilst cholera was “propagating” in Lusaka from September, what have you been doing this four months?

  3. The Lusaka water table is contaminated with feaceal matter……the unlined pit latrines and septic tanks all over Lusaka have contaminated the water table and the fact people are drinking from untreated wells and boreholes ……..even if you have a borehole the water is nolonger safe…..

    This is when GRZ must look at simple water purification techniques like using the sun’s ultraviolet rays , which kill 99 % of bacteria

    • That’s being practical Mr Spaka. I’ve just read on Facebook a message by some born again chap calling churches that are advising their members against large gathering as unbelievers. He says that Christians should not fear cholera because God will protect them through faith. Can you accept such?

  4. The general sanitation of our capital is a chaotic one, I personally look at it from diverse angles. One is that there is probably no adequate laws to support arrest and fining of indiscriminate disposal of waste, and so you walk the street of lusaka and any how you see people litterling every where without even any sense of shame and fear, be it urinating, publicly you see guys doing that. Just like you would probably attest to the laws about corruption, its like no body clearly knows when to institute corruption investigation on someone. Secondly , is non existence or very poorly done drainage system . It is absolute madness the drainage of our city. Totally no plan,its trenches nothing short of that. Thirdly, our Gvts have failed us for over 50 years , How can it even be talked…

    • Laws are there and enough. The problem is implementing them…..politics have exploited the situation from government to successive government. The at Chisokone,Kitwe situation is explosive and successive governments have failed to improve the situation because the marketeers will not accept to move elsewhere while works take place. The government is afraid of rioting if they force matters. In fact it was wrong to allow Chisokone expansion from that small smart brick building. Unfortunately it’s too late.

  5. close all zambeef out lets.

    He burnt city market and traders have moved to streets and kolela and he wants to make a polical name

    • True to your name, you are a complete failure.Cholera is caused by poor sanitation and improper treatment of drinking water.Who is to blame for the citizens to dig the shallow wells in the compounds?Is it Zambeef? If you have information as to who burnt the market why not provide evidence to the police so that whoever is responsible is brought before the law?Mulekeukusabaila bakoswe mumpoto

    • #grade 7 failure, please withdraw your posting. It’s in bad taste. You must realize that it’s government to allow the uncontrolled urban migration. Services have been overwhelmed by the large populations in urban areas. Villages are actually more orderly compared to shanties like Kanyama

  6. …about allowing people to dig wells for water sources in massively crowded city like that? The UN and the world at large talks about running clean drinking water and we are signatory to that how come we still let people drink stagnant water next to the pit latrine? We have no excuse on clean water sources in Zambia, yet we have water in lusaka that forms fat when you put it on your body with a bathing soap and in many communities not even a drop. Lastly, no political will from our leaders to improve the standards of living of us the ordinary citizenry. You just can understand , WHY? It took one word for the president to call every one to clean the city after the seeing the level of catastrophe approaching. Why has it been impossible for over 50 years surmount forces that hinder good…

  7. The drainage system are there in Lusaka central except that we have clogged them up with rubbish and its crazy to expect smooth flow of waster. Meanwhile lets all help to make the cleanup exercise a success. Blame game and back passing wont help much. Chilufya and Vincent Mwale cannot be everywhere but you and me most of the time we fail these people and when they bring you to book again you see them as bad people. It is not by accident that the farrows filled up with garbage but that someone chose to throw the rubbish into them.

  8. No blame games here, we have a collective responsibility to fight cholera, keep up the momentum ba minister dont be distracted.
    When we finish this job lets go back to the drawing board- respect health regulations, ban ALL street vending no politics ati these are the voters, especially sensitize under 5 ati no politicking over health matters, send him back to mukobeko if he does not listen.

    Lastly as we are fighting cholera appropriate security wings to keep eyes open and ensure that cholera is not being spread deliberately by evil individuals for their selfish reasons.

  9. # ngoni koswe well said. Also all upmarket trading outlets must be required to sanitize the hands of all customers enterinflg their shops. Some customers contaminate exposed foods and fruits .

  10. It’s all about changing our mind sets. Firstly, our govt should be proactive. I mean before something bad happens, we must take preventive measures. Cleaning up should have been done before the onset of the rainy season because we should anticipate cholera when it rain. Not when people die that’s when we want to work.
    Secondly, cleanliness is not in the minds of
    Many Zambians. People throw litter anyhow and anywhere with feeling

    • I have been here for 5 weeks and have never seen any litter bin at Lusaka streets. Please do something with this issue and, I am sure, people will change their habits

  11. Torching markets did not bring uprisings by citizens, incarceration did not, cholera will not, banning street vending will not even if one individual visits the street vendors to see how they are coping. He said that the vendors should not have been removed from the streets without first providingbthem with alternative trading places. In other words let cholera continue until we build new markets. Unfortunately for my under5 the same street vendors and marketeers are in total solidarity with government. Nothing seems to work for my leader under5, he needs his head examined, all his strategies have failed because they are evil strategies.

  12. Plus na eve under5 wathu southern koswe aziba kuti inga mugwire cholera ku ma rally yake. Ayopa na eve. Cholera does not choose, rich or poor inga kukonke olo ku ibex hill mansion. Apusuka chifukwa a mvera iyi yeve nkani.

  13. I’ve jx noticed that the council or whoever is involved only tries to work on the drainage system wen its rain season, wen the rains are gone, thy stop, forgetin that cum 10 months down the line thy will still cum bak. The council is filled wit cadres who only knw how to collect money en chew it without ensuring that the city is clean. Can this government boost the sanitation levels in the country its all we need!

  14. The Zambian goverment should instead of filling their own private pockets with money, take better care of their country.
    Fining people or businesses who were foind with contemination coming from clients or staff is not the right solution to takle the problem.
    Closing such outlets for a period of time to take care of the contemination is understandable and a good thing to do.
    These outleys are already financially effected, to give them as well a fine is outragious, for sure if you as government are actually the one to blame.
    In Europe or USA there is no such thing as an outbreak of Cholera, funny that it happens in Africa where goverments are corrupt and selfishly only thinking about how much money they can put during their governing term in their own pockets.

    ZAMBIAN GOVERNMENT, IT…

  15. Zambia hit by worst cholera outbreak in years
    AFRICA / 15 APRIL 2010, 7:45PM /

    Share on FacebookShare on TwitterShare on LinkedInTell a Friend
    Lusaka, Zambia – Health workers in Zambia say they are battling the worst cholera outbreak in years.

    The waterborne disease has killed more than 130 people and sickened close to 5,000 others in the southern African country since March. Luke Arend, head of the Lusaka office of aid group Medecins Sans Frontiers, says that’s the highest number of cases in a decade.

    Health ministry spokesman Dr Reuben Mbewe said Thursday the outbreak was due to flooding in Lusaka, the capital, after torrential rains. Shallow wells that are a main source of domestic water have become contaminated by overflow from pit latrines.

    The government and aid…

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