Senior chief Kanong’esha of the Lunda people in Mwinilunga district has called on the Ministry of Health to distribute basic testing kits for coronavirus symptoms to chiefdoms located in border areas such as his.
Senior chief Kanong’esha said his chiefdom has three unmanned border areas between Zambia and Angola as well as the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) which are frequently used by many people from the two countries.
He said this when Minister of Fisheries and Livestock Nkandu Luo called on him at his palace yesterday.
He said border areas should be equipped with apparatus such as thermometers and face masks.
Senior chief Kanong’esha, who is also Northwestern Province Council of Chiefs chairperson, expressed worry that it may be difficult to manage any outbreak of COVID-19 in his area due to the porousness of the three border points.
The traditional leader has meanwhile donated some towards the fight against coronavirus.
He promised to mobilize some more resources to contribute to the current efforts of fighting the pandemic.
Senior chief Kanong’esha has since called on other traditional leaders in the province to provide any form of support within their means to help government contain the coronavirus.
And Professor Luo said she was happy with the contribution from senior chief Kanong’esha towards the fight against COVID-19.
Prof. Luo promised to deliver the monetary contribution to Minister of Health, Chitalu Chilufya.
In relation to her Ministry, Prof. Luo said the coronavirus is a source of worry because some animals such as dogs, camels and bats can be intermediary hosts that can transmit the virus to human beings.
She said there was evidence in the recent outbreak of the COVID-19 where the dogs owned by a patient of coronavirus equally tested positive to the virus when they were subjected to a test.
Prof. Luo said her ministry will conduct a research to look at the association between the coronavirus and animals.
The minister has since called on all Zambians to practice social distancing from animals in the same way they are distancing themselves from fellow human beings.
Meanwhile,Solwezi District Commissioner, Rosemary Kamalonga has called on the surveillance team and health personnel in the area to be confident and ready to fight the coronavirus.
Ms. Kamalonga said the community depends on the frontliners to help them and educate them on how to avoid contracting and spreading the disease.
She said health workers in the district must follow the example by President Edgar Lungu and the Minister of Health who are working hard in order to control the spread of the virus.
She has since assured the health workers that government was ready to provide the protective equipment to all heath workers so that they may not be victims of the virus.
Ms. Kamalonga said this during a one day event based surveillance for COVID-19 training held in Solwezi.
And Northwestern Province Surveillance Officer, Kaleji Ndoji said the training will help the surveillance team to detect COVID-19 early and give quick response.
Mr. Ndoji said the trainees were made to understand coronavirus better.
Meanwhile, a representative of the trainees, Chris Hanabowa has commended government for the care they have shown to frontline workers through the provision of protective clothing and other essentials.
We are working on the advice of medical and economic specialists. Not everyone can be tested,not even in the richest country in world. We have to select areas strategically based on various factors. We ask people to remain patient. We know that most of you are anxious but please know that we are working around the clock to keep you safe. That is our job
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I want to let you know, Iwe KZ chinyau chaku malawi, that Norway can manage to test all of its citizens.