The Ministry of Health has allayed fears that the oral cholera vaccine being administered in Lusaka might be unsafe.
Some commentators have raised fears that the vaccine which was launched last week is unsafe as it is a trial vaccine whose efficacy and safety is not guaranteed.
But Ministry of Health Permanent Secretary Kennedy Malama told Journalists in Lusaka that the vaccine is safe and that it was subjected to vigorous tests.
Dr Malama said the vaccine has been used in other regions and advised Zambians to dismiss such allegations which he described as unfounded.
He said government officials such as Minister of Health Dr Chitalu Chilufya and his Local Government counterpart Vincent Mwale who were present during the launch also took the vaccine adding that there was no way government would have administered unsafe vaccines to its officials.
Dr Malama said the campaign will bring the life-saving oral cholera vaccine to the people who need it most.
The Zambian Government with support from the World Health Organization and partners on Wednesday launched a campaign to vaccinate Lusaka residents against Cholera.
Two million doses of the oral cholera vaccine from the Gavi-funded global stockpile were delivered to Zambia in January, enough to immunize 1 million people.
Planning is underway to vaccinate a further 1 million people living in known cholera hotspots across the country later this year.
Selected vaccination sites in central areas of Lusaka will be targeted under the campaign.
I don’t think you understand the skeptical view. First of all, there is probably no medication that exist that has no side effects. So the point is not wether the vaccines are dangerous as it were, I think the concern is whether the Government looked into the issue of side effects, because the vaccines were administered almost immediately after the outbreak of Cholera. The question some people are asking is if the Government has knowledge of what they are giving the people. Now that you have assured the Nation, it may calm the fears People had.
Was this cholera thing even as serious or was it just a way of stealing my with this fake vaccine?
Come on man! These people called officials are crooks, they are not partaking real so called cholera vaccines…
This is UN slow poisoning propaganda to the unproductive African impoverished masses like Zambia.
Most certainly the Vaccine is safer than untreated cholera whose side effect is death. Damn these prophets of doom who cannot adduce any evidence of how unsafe the vaccine is or where its been rejected.
The best medicine for chorela is safe and clean water, simple. Where in the world did you see a medical Doctor encouraging his patients to take a ‘medicine’ that will allow dirt, germs, bacteria and other foreign matter in his/her body as opposed to hygiene? Takwaba these guys are fakes
The focus of Government -Ministry of health and ministry of local government should be providing safe clean water to the people.This cholera did not come about because of lack of vaccines. This is the most ineffective way to deal with the problem. Cholera vaccine needs to be given every 2 years. why waste money on that instead of improving our surroundings? Why don’t Bill and Melinda gates/WHO focus on helping us improve our sanitation?Perhaps they want to keep us poor and diseased and keep milking us of our monies and human resources on useless projects.DEAD AID.DEAD VACCINES…
We are vaccinating against unclean water and poor sanitation. I believe those who came up with this vaccine knew that there are some people and indeed nations who simply just don’t get it that you cannot allow human faeces to come into contact with drinking water! Clean water and proper disposal of human waste is the cheapest way of preventing cholera! How many time have we have had cholera before? This is very upsetting and it is not a normal thing for functioning societies.
Tuthootu, banyua mbuli Powers.
Believe you me this is for sterilisation. After drinking this, No children again for women. For men you only sustain an erection after 21 days. Those who have taken them can challenge me.
we need to change. we lead in all the wrong things
HIV, Computer viruses, Cholera, corruption.. dont tell me there are worse nations. We shouldn’t be on the lists, period
Big Pharmaceutical companies are known to bribe Ministers of health to help offload their excess cargo. The devil is definitely in the details! Misfortunes present great opportunities for business.
When are Africans going to learn supporting these billionaires with hidden agendas. Do you really need it?
There is no vaccine for dirt … just clean up!
Vaccination is vital than side effects, the most important thing is to rectify this problem of cholera.
Safe if home grown, the bigotry in this world you need to be very careful. The hatred you hear from some mouths you can be weary .
You cannot vaccinate people for cholera it is un heard of , the only solution is to keep environment clean clean .
It is a joke even to talk about vaccination really what for , just maintain hygiene if vaccinated for cholera another disease will come in another since you cannot clean around.
They want to wallow like pigs in the mud when they take vacines.
When Lord Palmerston, Prime Minister of England in the 19th century was petitioned by the Scottish clergy to appoint a day of fasting and prayer to vert the cholera, He replied, Cleanse and disinfect your streets and houses, promote cleanliness and healthy among the poor and see that they are plentifully supplied with good food and raiment, and employ right sanitary measures generally and you will have no occasion of fasting and pray, nor will the LORD hear your prayers while these, his preventives, Remain unheeded…!!!
Please remember to deal with the bacterium by making its environment unhabitable in addition to giving vaccines. Thanks
…someone raises concerns about the safety of the vaccine…how do you respond by saying..the vaccine has been used in other regions…so it is safe…!!…underwent vigorous tests…who did the test…it takes a year or more to confidently certify new vaccines as safe…anyway those enlightened should take the vaccine at their own peril…difficult to ascertain if the minister and his colleagues took the actual vaccine…
I refuse any vacine especially flu jabs..