North western province remains vulnerable to diseases like cholera, yellow fever and Ebola

North western province remains vulnerable to infectious diseases such as cholera, yellow fever and Ebola which are present in neighbouring countries sharing boarders with the region, provincial permanent secretary, Willies Mangimela has said.

Mr Mangimela said for this reason stakeholders in the region need to work together to share ideas on how infectious diseases in neighbouring countries can be prevented from spreading to the province.

He said this during an event based surveillance training which was organized by Zambia national public health institute (ZNPHI) in Solwezi yesterday that surveillance of diseases will help ministry of health to detect diseases early.

Mr Mangimela urged stakeholders to meet frequently to come up with measures for disease prevention and control in the province.

Speaking at the same event, North western provincial health director, Dr Charles Msiska disclosed that the province has recorded 50 cases of tuberculosis and five cases of typhoid from Congolese and Angolan nationals.

Dr Msiska called on stakeholders in the health sector to conduct cross boarder meetings with health personnel on issues related to disease control among the three countries.

Meanwhile, provincial veterinary officer,Peter Banda, said detecting infectious diseases in animals before they are passed on to human beings will go a long way in curbing the spread of diseases within the area.

Dr Banda urged stakeholders to lobby for funds to buy equipment for the provincial veterinary lab which is not yet operational despite being handed over to the ministry of agriculture, fisheries and livestock in 2017.