Thursday, March 28, 2024

Government understands why a few individuals are selling on the streets amid the COVID-19 pandemic-Inonge Wina

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Vice President Inonge Wina has said there is a need to intensify sensitization on coronavirus (COVID-19) in communities to help people understand the gravity of the pandemic and why the government has taken certain measures to curb the disease.

Mrs. Wina explained that if people are not well sensitized, they will not take the pandemic seriously but instead create myths that will make it difficult to combat COVID 19.

“It is important that sensitization groups are formed to go at the household level and make them understand the gravity of the pandemic because if it enters one area, the end results will make it difficult to manage and this is the situation we avoid,” she said.

The Vice President said this last night in Ndola for her tour of the aerial view of the Kafue River floods in Kitwe yesterday.

She, however, commended the provincial administration for establishing a coronavirus diagnostic center and called on the Ministry of Health to preside over it and ensure it is established as a regional centre for diagnosing diseases.

“The diagnostic center will go a long way in helping health authorities to do more testing which is key to diagnosing the COVID-19 pandemic and at least we are assured of minimizing the spread of the virus as more will be tested,” she said.

She said the Ministry of Health should prevail over the new center to ensure it is supported and established as a regional diagnostic testing centre even for other provinces.

The Vice President said she was encouraged that Copperbelt Province has set up systems to fight COVID 19 without much support from central government which she described as a sign of commitment towards achieving government objectives in a defecting fighting pandemic.

Mrs. Wina observed that Zambia is facing a double tragedy in the sense that its economy has not been doing well and now is grappling with the coronavirus.

She said this has made the government understand why a few individuals are selling on the streets amid the pandemic,

“We realized people are not fully aware of what it means when the disease enters in an area but this is what government is working on and police find a way of dealing with the people, do not confiscate their goods,” she advised.

She explained that because of such issues, President Edgar Lungu did not impose a 100 percent lockdown of the country.

On Mopani Copper Mines’ decision to place the mines in Kitwe and Mufulira under care and maintenance, the Vice President appealed to the mining company to dialogue with the government and resolve the issue for the betterment of everyone.

Meanwhile, Copperbelt Minister Japhen Mwakalombe informed the Vice President that the region has received tremendous support from well-wishers in the fight against COVID-19.

“It is with this support that we managed to provide for our frontline officers such as the police, immigration, health workers and others with face masks and sanitizers among others,” the minister said

Copperbelt province has two active COVID-19 cases at its quarantine center in Masaiti.

These are part of the 48 cumulative cases that the country has recorded since the outbreak was reported in the country.

And Mr. Mwakalombe has informed the Vice President that 300 families in Kitwe have been displaced by the floods during the just ended rain season.

The Kafue River in Kitwe burst its banks due to heavy rains and caused several houses to collapse.

He said the families are still accommodated at Buchi hotel while others are squatting with other families.

And Mrs. Wina said the issue of flooding is now an environmental problem hence people should not build houses along rivers.

6 COMMENTS

  1. Guyz LT you are late, oversleeping on Saturday. Anyway, you deserve a rest. It was hell in Lusaka province this week.

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  2. The President directed that everyone in public places must wear masks. This is a presidential directive. I have been to Soweto Market this morning and Levy Mall. A lot of people are not wearing the masks. Where is Bowman kanshi? He must quickly go and whip those people at Soweto and Levy. It is for our own good.!!!

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  3. Yes mother of nation. This is a challenge facing the world. At one end we all want to end this pandemic by restricting activity but at the other end it leads to economic down turn. It’s a catch 22 which we in government are working hard to balance. I like the you acknowledged coppebelts good initiative and lack of reliance on government to spoon feed them. This is what we need in this pandemic. People to take some initiative and help their country. Kz

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  4. HOW TO SAVE ZAMBIA!!
    *1) Retire the President and his cabinet as they have failed the economy through over borrowing and spending more govt funds on expenditure as opposed to production*
    2) Retire all cadres and let technoctats to do there jobs in govt ministeries, Zesco, ZRA etc. Take the retired cadres to work in govt farms
    *3) Lower the policy rate to allow SMEs and individuals access to low cost capital*
    4) Detach the president from being involved on selection and appointing process of CJ, BoZ govenor, IG, DEC and ACC commisioners ! Then systems will automatically run professionally.
    *5) Strengthen Revenue generating entities and improve accountability i.e. Council’s, NRC Passport, ZRA, NAPSA, Workecom, Ministry of Lands Mines, Agricultural etc*
    6) Lower taxes on duty,…

  5. Solwezi market full of people this morning not a mask seen and no social distance rules applied amongst people.
    Business as usual..

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