Gwembe District Commissioner, Killion Chikandula says the keep Zambia Clean, Green and Healthy campaign is key in preventing a Cholera outbreak in the district.
Mr Chikandula has implored public service workers, the business community and Gwembe residents to embrace the campaign in order to prevent outbreaks of diarrheal diseases such as Cholera.
The district Commissioner stated during an Epidemic preparedness Committee meeting in his office on Friday that the rainy season brings with it an increased risk of diseases such as cholera due to movement of dirty and bacteria with water towards the residential areas, business places, and markets, hence the need to keep these premises clean.
He said the campaign should not only end at the office and business premises but also to be extended to people’s homes and their surroundings.
The District Commissioner said the outbreak of Cholera in the country should not be taken lightly because lives would be lost once it spreads to Gwembe.
Mr Chikandula said a clean and healthy environment is also key to economic development because without being healthy there is no or less production.
“Cholera is something preventable, let us take precautions, let us clean our environment, boil our drinking water all the time or put in chlorine. Health increases production and without a healthy community production will go down and the economy will fall.so let us put more emphasis on preventive measures and compliance to the Cholera guidelines put in place by the ministry of health, just like we have been doing it with COVID19,” he said.
Mr Chikandula said the keep Zambia clean campaign should involve everyone and every community without leaving anyone out.
He therefore, has called on all stakeholders to come on board to work in close collaboration with the district health office in sensitising the communities on diarrheal diseases such as cholera that pose a huge risk to human life especially during this rainy season.
The District Commissioner announced that the campaign has been moved from every last Friday of every month to every first Friday of every month from 14 hours to 17hours.
He tasked the Zambia News and Information Services to conduct public announcements in order to mobilize the community and traders for cleaning the central business district and their premises.
Mr. Chikandula also implored the Gwembe town council to procure garbage bins in the market and business places in order to curb indiscriminate dumping of garbage.
He has challenged the local authority to improve waste management in markets, bus stops, residential areas and community gathering places.
He added that this will help to mitigate the noticeable threat of cholera especially in trading places located in the semi –urban areas such as Chipepo, Munyumbwe, and the Gwembe plateau.
Meanwhile, District Disease Intelligence Officer, Felix Mavwanda reported that Gwembe has currently 3 active COVID 19 cases with 2 at Chipepo clinic and 1 at Chabboboma health facility.
Mr Mavwanda has since appealed to the general public to adhere to COVID-19 prevention measures including practicing frequent hand washing and masking up in public places as well as maintaining social distance and avoiding handshakes.
He said COVID 19 is still around the communities despite Gwembe attaining the 70% vaccination target.
He has advised all persons who develop symptoms portentous of COVID-19 to present themselves to the nearest health facility.
the rainy season brings with it an increased risk of diseases such as cholera due to movement of dirty and bacteria with water towards the residential areas, business places, and markets, hence the need to keep these premises clean.
Was there no rainy season during Welensky’s rule? How come this increased risk didnt visit us?
Ecl did a good job and even participated in cleaning. Hh wafiko!
Cholera of 2018 with over 100 dead was a good job? KZ stop using the weed and cocaine.
Back in 2017/18 Zambia had cholera explosion with 118 deaths bcuz PF decided to regularize street vending just to gain votes.That was a bad deal which ultimately cost human lives.
The way i see it, all this shenaniganes of keeping Zambia clean will only happen if the ppl asigned to do the dirty job, sorry to use the word “dirty” are paid good salaries, all these we will be maybe a thing of the past and aslo expedited with PPE in place might change the mindset of ppl in terms of cleanliness not just talk talk from people in the office!!!
It cannot work.
Tu P1yefu have politicised everything in Zed, where “pond scum” like ka [email protected] gets paid to eat for frustrating the New Dawn Government.
You cannot run an African government, using Western ideas & democracy standards. Teti fibombe!!