The demand for COVID-19 testing has risen in Muchinga Province.
The Ministry of Health says the province has seen an increase in the number of people requesting to be tested for COVID-19 since the third wave begun.
Speaking during in an interview with the Zambia News and Information Services (ZANIS) in Chinsali today, Provincial Health Director (PHD) Nero Chilembo attributed to rise in demand for the test to the increase in COVID -19 cases countrywide.
Dr Chilembo said the increase in the number of people requesting to be tested at various health centers is also due to the severeness of the disease and rise in the death toll with Muchinga not having been spared.
He said during the COVID -19 third wave the province has equally recorded a high number of COVID -19 cases especially during the month of June as it was anticipated.
” What is happening now was expected as we projected an increase in active cases especially around mid-June,” he stated .
Dr Chilembo added that due to the current situation the ministry in the province has heightened measures for both patients and those at Out Patient Department (OPD) coming with respiratory problems.
” We are now testing patients who are admitted and those coming with respiratory issues at the OPD as a measure to stem the further spread of the virus,” he said.
He said in Muchinga Province case record is rising adding that the province during this third wave is now recording above 150 active cases per day, admissions and deaths as compared to the second wave.
The PHD however, bemoaned the disengagement level of compliance by members of the community to the COVID -19 health guidelines.
He said it is worrisome that most people in communities are not adhering to the measures that have been put in place by Government through the Ministry of health despite the number of cases rising.
Dr Chilembo added that if the trend continues, the risks are high of having a majority of its population infected and record an increase in deaths due to seriousness of the pandemic.
He said the focus of attention should be on prevention , monitoring and treatment in order to save lives and the country’s economy.
He has since called on the community members to combine efforts with Government in the fight against COVID- 19 which keeps claiming lives.
Dr Chilembo charged that the fight against COVID should not be left to the health sector alone if the war has to be won and called for more concerted efforts from all.
“We all have a role to play at individual, family, institutional and community levels,” he added.
As at yesterday Muchinga Province recorded 149 new cases and positivity rate of 18 percent.
Meanwhile, youths have been called upon to take the pandemic seriously.
Joanna Nayeme said it is saddening that young lives are being lost due to COVID-19.
Ms Nayeme added that youths are the future leaders but if the entire general is whipped out as a result of Covid what will become of mother Zambia.
She said it is because of the vital play that youths play in the country that they should safeguard their lives by adhere to the public health and social guidelines that are in place in order to halt the spread of Covid.
” Am calling on all my fellow youths to follow the five golden rules and prevent the further loss of lives in our nation,” she added.
Because of this epidemic the August 12 election will be postponed.
No corruption, if the science says it is not safe for elections to go ahead then let it be so. Life is more important than an election which even you know pf will win.
By the way, to all upnd diasporans who have been saying that the increase in deaths is because we have failed to vaccinate people. For your information, when we procured the first batch many zambians were suspicious about the vaccines and decide to shun them. This is all because of the same f00Iish diasporans posting conspiracy theories about vaccines, which they themselves have taken there abroad. This meant that many vaccines went to waste and couldn’t be used. so upnd diasporans shut your ugly mouths before I mess your ugly faces up. You monkeys
THE TR00ll SAID “LIFE IS MORE IMPORTANT THAN AN ELECTION””
IF THAT IS THE CASE WHY HAS GOVERNMENT ONLY NOW STARTED RECOGNISING THE SERIOUSNESS OF THE PANDEMIC
THE SIGNS OF A 3RD AND POSSIBLY 4TH WAVE HAVE BEEN THERE FOR MANY MONTHS
YET ALL THEY DO IS BLAH BLAH BLAD
NO VISION AND NO FORESIGHT
BYE BYE PF
Covid 19 is a new disease. Since January 2020, there have been thousands of papers published in peer reviewed medical and scientific journals. No one person knows everything. It behoves those who are tasked with the safety and health of the public to engage as many professionals as possible to look critically at the data and see what is working and what is not working. They must take the PIOSEE approach. What is the PROBLEM? What INFORMATION is out there? What are the OPTIONS? Which one do we SELECT? After we EXECUTE the option we choose, we should EVALUATE. Is it working? This was the reason I asked the President to widen the team. But instead, people politicised and insulted.
The pf government has shown no political will in fighting COVID-19 pandemic,. This can be clearly seen in the way,they are handling public gatherings which seems to be beneficial to them. Eg , Rev sumaili’s campaigning in muchinga (Meeting the clergy), Dr Kaunda’s body being taken around the country, etc
This government has failed to walk the talk. That’s way I love God, because in all this, the pandemic has and will not spare these hypocrites.
Wise up!