Ministry of Health advises the Nc’wala Ceremony Organizing Committee to consider restricting access to the ceremony

The Ministry of Health has advised the Nc’wala Ceremony Organizing Committee to consider restricting access to the ceremony slated for next month to only those who are vaccinated and will be able to provide proof of vaccination.

The Nc’wala ceremony was last year canceled due to covid-19, but Paramount Chief Mpezeni has announced that the ceremony will go ahead this year and has since invited President Hakainde Hichilema to grace the event which will be held on 26th February, 2022.

But Ministry of Health Permanent Secretary Technical Services Professor Lackson Kasonka is hopeful that the ceremony will be held under strict covid-19 heath guidelines with the most important being the need for the attendees to be vaccinated.

Professor Kasonka tells Q-News that government cannot stop or prevent ceremonies or certain events from taking place because life and functions have to go on, except that those attending covid-19 super spreader events are encouraged to get vaccinated.

And Zambia National Public Health Institute Acting Director General Dr Kunda Musonda says the institute will be liaising with organizing committees of traditional ceremonies scheduled for the coming months to see how best such events can be held minus raising the risk of infection to the public.

Meanwhile N’cwala Traditional Ceremony Secretary General Adamson Sakala has told Q-News that access to the arena will be to those who will produce covid-19 vaccination certificates and those who will agree to get vaccinated at the points of entry.

Mr. Sakala explains that vaccination points will be setup to allow for the unvaccinated to get vaccinated.