Luanshya Mayor Nathan Chanda has expressed concern with the manner in which children are roaming the streets despite measures put in place for people to stay at home so as to prevent the spread of coronavirus (COVID-19) in the country.
ZANIS reports that Mr. Chanda said this was weakening the efforts which the Ministry of Health has put in place to ensure the spread of the pandemic was stopped.
Mr. Chanda, who is also Copperbelt Patriotic Front Chairperson, has since taken it upon himself to go round into townships checking on adherence levels concerning the prescribed measures.
He observed that there were a lot of children who are freely socializing and interacting in huge numbers.
He said such behavior is putting the lives of children at risk as they were more vulnerable to contracting the disease and possibly contribute in spreading it to their families if not sensitized.
During his visit to various townships, the Luanshya Mayor said the decision by the Government to close schools was to ensure that children stay home and not to be loitering.
“It has been an eye-opener. We have discovered that our children are so vulnerable as they are moving about in numbers playing. The idea by the government to close schools was to ensure that children are kept safe at home so as to avoid large gatherings in a bid to prevent the spread of the coronavirus,” Mr. Chanda said.
Among the areas which Mr. Chanda visited are Roan sections 9 and 10, Kawama, sections 21, 25, and 27.
Mr. Chanda has since appealed to parents that use public transport to always leave their children at home and ensure that they wear face masks or use clean pieces of cloths as advised by the Ministry of Health.
“We got on business and I found that yes parents are putting on face masks, but the child they carry along does not have. So the best way is to leave the children at home. This is my honest appeal, we need to fight Covid-19 together,” he said.
He meanwhile noted that people were using disposable face masks for a couple of days when they were supposed to be changed after three to four hours.
Mr. Chanda has therefore called for more public sensitization on how to use the masks.
He further acknowledged the significant role that local tailors that make affordable face masks were playing.
“Am sure the Church, Members of Parliament and NGOs in our district are doing their job but are also invited to come on board as this was not a war for government alone but everyone if the COVID-19 was to be defeated,” Mr. Chanda said.
Luanshya district has so far recorded one case of COVID-19 since the outbreak of the pandemic in the country and the patient is among the two in isolation at Masaiti isolation centre in Masaiti district.
PF government promised 500,000 jobs for youths, give them to prevent roaming around to avoid spreading Covid-19 pandemic
Give them food, they will stop loitering!
Visit also the health institutions in your area of jurisdiction and see if there has been any improvement kabili covid-19 is health related challenge and not social crisis…. Namukosa to inspect the level of compliance on social relation yet you’re leaving everything on health matters kuli ba Minister who just exited about mentioning numbers including global figures that have little impact on your general poor mentality towards tackling problems… So abo waceba to be leaving behind their children nangu wasanga they’re over crowded in a small bus whose normal capacity is 9 people tapali ifintu walacitapo, you just continue with words, words, words and words…..