Zambia has in the last 24 hours recorded 745 new positive cases of Covid-19 out of a total of 7,903 tests that were conducted, bringing the cumulative number of cases in the country to 45,337.

And about 1,667 individuals have been discharged bringing the cumulative number of recoveries to 35, 960.

The country has meanwhile recorded 12 Covid-19 deaths countywide in the last 24 hours bringing the number of cumulative deaths to 639 and classified as 261 Covid-19 deaths, 354 Covid-19 associated deaths, and 24 deaths pending classification.

Currently, a total of 8,738 Covid-19 cases are active and of these 8,264 are under community management while 474 are admitted to various health facilities around the country with 325 on oxygen therapy and 32 in critical condition.

In a statement issued to the media in Lusaka today by the Ministry of Health Head Media Relations, Stanslous Ngosa, Minister of Health Jonas Chanda said the ministry continues to enhance its contact tracing activities in order to halt the spread of Covid-19 in communities.

The Minister has meanwhile applauded the trend where people are disclosing to their close contacts on some social media platforms when they test positive to the pandemic.

Dr. Chanda has since advised the public against stigmatizing those that are testing positive to the Covid-19.

“In the same vein, I do however wish to caution the spreading of unverified information. Social media has become a conduit for negative and fake news. Protect your mental health by approaching social media mindfully. Set limits for your social media use and pay attention to the effect it is having on your well-being,” the Minister advised.

And Dr. Chanda has stated that the Ministry of Health remains committed to ensuring that continuity of services and that resilience of the health system in the country remains steadfast even in view of the pandemic.

“We are closely monitoring our other programmes including HIV/AIDS, TB and malaria and working diligently to sustain our routine services,” he said.

Yesterday, Zambia recorded 1 239 new COVID-19 cases. The new cases were picked out of 12,601 tests, while 1,626 individuals have been discharged bringing the cumulative number of recoveries to 34, 2993 according to the Ministry of Health, with 17 new deaths countrywide.

Minister of Health Jonas Chanda says currently there are 9,672 active COVID-19 cases, of which 9,226 are under community management while 446 are admitted to various health facilities around the country with 299 on oxygen therapy while 25 in a critical condition.

Dr Chanda has attributed the increase in the number of COVID-19 cases to super spread events such as weddings, funerals, parties, and Shopping Malls.

He noted that the health authority continues to observe a worrisome trend of late reporting to health facilities among COVID-19 cases with patients coming in critical condition.

Dr Chanda stated that this trend hampers the efforts of health workers to effectively manage the cases that come in critical condition.

He said that the high-profile deaths recorded in the last few days call for concern as a large number of people is expected to show up to mourn the fallen community.

Dr Chanda has however appealed to the public to remain mindful of their safety and that of others and ensure adherence to guidelines for those who wish to pay their respects.

He further called on the local authorities and managers at the cemeteries to ensure that the number of people is kept a minimum during these events.

‘’Events must be kept short and those in attendance must adhere to the public health guidance, ’Dr. Chanda said.

He has since encouraged members of the public to remember adherence to the five golden rules that are wearing a facemask correctly and consistently, maintaining physical distance, washing your hands frequently or use of hand sanitizer and avoiding crowded places, and staying home.

Minister of Health Jonas Chanda has said the primary roles of health care givers is to save life, help patients and do them no harm. Dr. Chanda said health workers have to be taken care of very well and motivated for the to carry out these roles diligently.

He said there was need for hospitals to have all essential equipment such as x-ray machines which are working at all time as a way of motivating workers.

“The number of self-diagnostic and home treatment have increased as a result, because patients are not receiving the much needed services,” he said

He further said that priorities have to be set out right to ensure all services that patients need are made available.

The minister said this when he toured Arthur Davison Children’s Hospital (ADCH) to appreciate the operations at the facility.

Meanwhile, Dr. Chanda has instructed Ndola District Health Director to fire nurses who are illegally charging patients at clinics.

And ADCH Senior Medical Superintendent Jonathan Mwansa told the minister that ADCH was facing various challenges with the x-ray machine being the major problem.

Zambia has been allocated 8.7million doses of Covid-19 vaccines under a facility being pioneered by the Africa Union.

Zambia’s Ambassador to Ethiopia and Permanent Representative to the African Union Emmanuel Mwamba announced the development.

He said the initiative is being done under the COVID-19 African Vaccine Acquisition Task Team (AVATT) a platform which has been created to ensure that upto 60% of Africa’s population were vaccinated against the Coronavirus by December 2021.

He said AVATT was created by President Cyril Ramaphosa, Chairperson of the African Union, in November 2020.

He said AVATT has been mandated to secure the necessary vaccines and blended financing resources for achieving Africa’s COVID-19 vaccination strategy which targets vaccinating a minimum of 60 per cent of Africa’s population.

Mr. Mwamba said AVATT’s efforts are focused on; securing enough safe and efficacious vaccine doses to vaccinate at least 60 per cent of the African population, estimating the funding needs for vaccine procurement and delivery and creating the financing mechanisms required to ensure that all African Union Member States can access and receive the vaccine doses they need to reach a minimum of 60 per cent immunisation.

He said under the mechanism, the vaccines are being sourced from Pfizer, Johnson and Johnson, and AstraZeneca.

Pfizer and Johnsons & Johnsons are among the world’s largest pharmaceutical companies, while AstraZeneca PLC is a British-Swedish multinational pharmaceutical.

He said a finance facility has been created under the AVATT- the Advance Procurement Commitment (APC) Facility to be backed by African Import and Export Bank (Afreximbank).

He said this mechanism aims at ensuring Africa’s access to the COVID-19 vaccines from no later than April 2021, by providing assurance to identified vaccine manufacturers that vaccine orders placed through the African Medical Supplies Platform (AMSP), are firm and will be paid for as may be agreed.

APC aims to guarantee Africa’s access to of COVID-19 vaccines in a manner that reduces the fiscal burden on member countries.

The mechanism will also ensure a timely, equitable and cost-effective availability of COVID-19 vaccine supplies within the African continent and by so doing, mitigate the protracted financial and socio-economic costs of the COVID-19.

This is also to provide a credible platform around which a blend of funding can be attached to
support Africa’s COVID-19 vaccine procurement requirements.

The Task Team has provisionally secured 270 million vaccine doses for Africa for the critical period from April to December 2021.

He said Zambia’s allocation may rise to 25 million doses by December 2021.

These vaccine doses, which are in addition to the expected COVAX doses, will be distributed through the African Medical Supplies
Platform (AMSP).

The candidates and related quantities are; 50 million doses of the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine, 100million doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine, through the Serum Institute of India and 120 million doses of the Johnson and Johnson vaccine (upon satisfactory conclusion of phase III trials).

He said the vaccines will obtain prior approval by AVATT on the recommendation of the Africa-CDC.

Africa CDC will approve the vaccines having considered the necessary conditions, efficacy including vaccines which have been trialed in Africa and safety.

Mr. Mwamba said the Permanent Representative Committee (PRC) was briefed of the progress that has been made to ensure that member states began to receive the vaccines from March- April 2021.

This is according to a statement issued by
First Secretary for Press and Tourism Mrs. Inutu Mupango Mwanza.

Health Minister Dr Jonas Chanda yesterday commissioned the newly built 4 Million Kwacha Ndeke Mini Hospital maternity wing in Bwana Mkubwa constituency in Ndola.

The 200 bed capacity hospital has been built by the support of Indeni Oil refinery company as well as other cooperating partners as part of their corporate social responsibility programs.

Dr Chanda said when he graced the event, that the commissioning of the facility is the fulfillment of President Edgar Lungu’s desire to take not only health facilities, but other developmental infrastructure close to the people through collaborative efforts of government as well as the private and public sectors.

“The high maternal mortality rate due to long distances our mothers used to cover has now been addressed by the opening of this new facility which will operate 24/7, because as you know,sickness has no time limit” Dr Chanda said adding that the development will equally reduce referral cases to the Ndola Teaching Hopsital.

And when he toured the facility,Dr Chanda urged the hospital management to quickly come up with immediate requirements that are needed for the facility to be up and running as soon as possible in order for it to start serving the health needs of the people.

Dr Chanda who is also Bwana Mkubwa Member of Parliament disclosed that government is prioritizing access to health services especially during the COVID-19 pandemic.

He said government also puts maximum premium on the welfare of frontline health workers who are putting in their best to provide healthcare even amidst the pandemic.

He further appreciated the efforts of all cooperating partners for their role in bringing to fruition the establishment of the mini hospital and called on other companies to emulate the good gesture of contributing to the provision of health services to the people.

Speaking earlier,Indeni Managing Director David Lungu pledged continued support to government towards the attainment of quality healthcare for people in Bwana Mkubwa, majority of whom are Indeni employees.

Meanwhile,Patriotic Front Copperbelt provincial Chairperson Nathan Chanda who is also Luanshya mayor thanked President Lungu for putting the province on top of the development agenda in many areas and urged people to guard infrastructure developments jealously.

He further urged Copperbelt residents to adhere to all the COVID-19 health guidelines in order to support government’s efforts in pandemic control.