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National Association of Traders and Marketeers of Zambia (NATMAZ) president Goodson Mofya has said the re-payment of loans obtained by marketeers under the Presidential Empowerment Fund has remained a challenge as traders are still defiant.
Speaking in an interview with ZANIS in Kitwe today, Mr. Mofya appealed on the marketeers to begin paying back the loans to allow others benefit from the funding facility.
He urged the beneficiaries to change their mind set and begin to use the money prudently and grow their businesses so that they can pay back to make the programme sustainable.
He noted that some members of NATMAZ thought the money was a donation to them and did not use it to grow their businesses.
Mr. Mofya said the beneficiaries are not paying back the loans despite President Edgar Lungu making it clear that the facility was a revolving fund which needed to be paid back.
He further bemoaned the lack of communication between the market associations leaders and the programme funders on the disbursement of the funds.
He however stated that the programme has helped to lift the business activities of most marketeers that have benefited from the programme.
Over 10,000 marketeers countrywide have benefited from the Presidential Empowerment fund programme which is an initiative of President Edgar Lungu.
The programme is aimed at growing the capital base of marketeers who have no capacity to borrow funds from commercial banks.
A glimpse of Kabwe Central Business District after day one of a vigorous cleaning exercise carried out by the council, the provincial leadership and assistance from state police.Central Province Minister Sydney Mushanga has expressed displeasure that traders in Kabwe markets are allegedly not welcoming vendors who were removed from the streets.
Mr. Mushanga said it was displeasing that traders that were removed from the streets in a bid to contain the spread of cholera are not being allowed to conduct their business at any market.
Mr. Mushanga said this during a media briefing this morning.
“It has come to my attention that traders who were removed from the streets are being discriminated upon and not allowed to do business at any market,” he said.
The Provincial Minister has since directed Kabwe Municipal Council to immediately move in and address the situation.
He said the local authority has control over market management and should therefore summon the leaders and discuss how to allocate the available stands in the markets.
He noted that currently, Kabwe has 1, 913 stands and 144 shops that are available for allocation.
Mr. Mushanga said he had no doubt that all the marketeers would be accommodated if all the space was accounted for.
He advised marketeers that have been operating from the markets not to discriminate against others because markets and bus stations belong to everyone.
A combined team of defence forces and Kabwe municipal council police swung into action yesterday to unblock the drainages and remove the vendors from the central business district (CBD) of Kabwe and surrounding areas in a bid to curb the spread of cholera and other waterborne diseases.
And Mr. Mushanga has directed Lukangwa Water and Sewerage Company and Kabwe Municipal Council (KMC) to provide markets with services such as ablution blocks and refuse pits to ensure sanitary conditions improve in trading places.
The Provincial Minister also took a swipe at some car-wash owners whom he ordered to ensure that the water flowing from their business places has somewhere to collect.
He has observed that most car-washes had no drainage system to direct the water while some were operating in filthy environment.
Mr. Mushanga has since warned that failure to comply will lead to closure of such premises to avoid the spread of cholera and other waterborne diseases.
Meanwhile, Mr. Mushanga has urged Kabwe residents to support interventions that have been put in place to counter the spread of the shame disease.
He also advised people to avoid handshakes as one preventive measure against the spread of cholera which has since been recorded in Kabwe and other districts of Central Province.
LUAPULA Province Minister Nickson Chilangwa says PF rebel members are using corruption allegations against the PF government as a gimmick to disturb the pace of development in the country.
Mr. Chilangwa who is also Luapula Province PF Chairperson said in a statement that claims of corrupt practices in the PF government was merely a ploy by ex – Ministers Harry Kalaba and Chishimba Kambwili to disturb President Edgar Lungu’s speedy implementation of his development agenda.
Mr. Chilangwa said Mr. Kalaba and Mr. Kambwili had realised that President Lungu was working with a sense of urgency to develop all the 10 Provinces of Zambia hence the ploy to interrupt his work rate.
He said the people of Zambia had seen through the duo’s lies and were not interested in its wild claims because they had seen that President Lungu was committed to changing the face of Zambia.
“It’s cheap propaganda, there is no corruption in PF as alleged by those two [Kalaba and Kambwili], it’s merely a political gimmick they are using as an attempt to weaken President Lungu’s Presidency. Thank God, the people who voted for President Lungu are not interested. Our people are cleverer than Harry Kalaba and Chishimba Kambwili and will not buy into their cheap lies,” Mr. Chilangwa said.
He said Zambia was on the right track of development especially in infrastructure which had never happened since independence.
“Where there is kleptocracy as the order of the day, you will tell by massive run-down infrastructure and poverty. We found very few roads in 2011; we have built more than enough. We are building more roads, bridges hospitals, schools and schools. Our social protection is second to none. Look at how many people are on social cash transfer; so many. We are the first government to award civil servants good salaries. Before we came civil servants were lowly paid. What corruption are they talking about? asked Mr. Chilangwa.
He said President Lungu was a caring leader who would not tolerate corruption in his government knowing the vice’s implications.
Mr. Chilangwa warned the people of Zambia never to be used by selfish people to gain political mileage.
Former Bank of Zambia Governor Caleb FundangaFormer Bank of Zambia governor Caleb Fundanga says the country’s economic outlook for 2018 looks positive.
Dr. Fundanga says the high Copper Prices will contribute to the country’s good economic performance in 2018.
He however warned against excessive acquiring of expensive loans as this may have a negative effect going forward.
Dr. Fundanga says the country can overcome economic challenges just like it has done in the past.
He has told ZNBC News that government should further seek to grow the economy by investing in infrastructure development to support agriculture and tourism.
He said places like Chilubi in Northern province has demonstrated that it is good for growing rice, ground nuts and Maize but lacks basic facilities such as roads.
LUSAKA High Court Judge Susan Wenjelani has set February 28 this year as judgment day in a matter where opposition Chilanga Member of Parliament (MP) Keith Mukata and his co-accused Charmaine Musonda are facing a murder charge.
The date was set after both parties testified in the matter and filed final submissions where the state asked the court to convict Mukata on circumstantial evidence and left the verdict for his co-accused to the court to make a final finding while Mukata asked the court to acquit them due to lack of evidence linking them to the murder.
And in his reply to the State’s submission filed yesterday towards judgment, Mukata asked the court to acquit his lover Musonda because there was no evidence linking her to the crime.
The accused persons submitted that the prosecution should have conceded that they had no evidence against Musonda instead of leaving it to the court to make a finding from the disputed facts before court.
He questioned why the prosecution wanted the court to make a finding on Musonda instead of assisting it by bringing evidence arguing that doing so was an indication that the state had failed to discharge its duty.
“If there is any facts against Musonda before court, why then has the prosecution unsuccessfully assisted the court with evidence in order to make such a finding, this is a clear indication that the state has abandoned their case against her,” reads the submissions in reply.
This is a matter where the duo are alleged to have murdered a security guard Namakambwa Kalilakwenda 63, this year an employee from Men in Black Security Company operating from AKM Legal Practitioners owned by Mukata.
Mukata and Musonda accentuated that the prosecution had not proved their case throughout their evidence adduced in their endeavour to prove the murder charge because nothing was placed on record to show that the accused acted individually or together to kill the deceased.
Mukata further argued that the prosecution had not helped the court to arrive at a conviction stage as it had not put anything on record to prove that the firearm was in his possession on the material day.
Minister of Health, Hon. Dr Chitalu Chilufya has reported that Cholera cases have continued to propagate in most parts of Lusaka and also that some districts outside the capital have continued recording sporadic cases that are linked to Lusaka.
“Cumulatively, we have recorded a total of 2205 cases and in the last 24 hours, we did not record any deaths which is a commendable feat.” He said.
He stated that interventions had been heightened in all the affected areas.
” We have heightened interventions in all the affected areas, expanding access to clean and fresh water in Chawama, in Kanyama, in Chipata and we have embarked on a robust program to bury shallow wells that have contaminated water in Kanyama. ” He said.
” Our youths and the armed forces are working closely to ensure that this is attained in the shortest period possible.” He added.
He stated that as they heightened interventions to improve waste management, and other interventions to control the cholera epidemic, there was need for them to place emphasis on certain points.
” Statutory no. 79 of 2017 is active and will be enforced. In this regard, no public gatherings will be allowed in all the affected areas. And in any other part of lusaka where people want to gather, there should be express permission from the National Public Health institute or from the Ministry of Health.” He said.
And the Minister emphasised that they had temporarily suspended street vending and trading in most markets that did not have good sanitation and that they were Focusing on cleaning up the said markets using the marketeers, the youth and the armed forces to ensure that there were good sanitation facilities in the markets.
” We are also unclogging drainages, ensuring that we escalate waste management and more mechanised equipment has been mobilised to expedite this process.” He said.
” At an appropriate time , the central command will give information on the progressive reopening of markets. We must emphasis that we are working swiftly and are putting up a programme where we will progressively reopen markets that meet the sanitation requirements that we have set. ” He said.
And Hon. Chilufya also stated that all food outlets in the Country, up market or Otherwise, would continue to be inspected and that those that would not meet the standards would be shut down.
” In the last 24 hours, we got more results from the laboratories and unfortunately, some more upmarket places have recorded some results that show that there is contamination . And we want to emphasis that this contamination is coming from various sources. Some workers are coming from areas where the epicentre is and sometimes some of the vegetables, some of the products that people are selling in some of these places are contaminated because of flies and the other drivers.” He said .
” It is important for us to continue giving results of food sampled from various outlets and in the last 24 hours, we have closed down some food outlets based on the results we have recieved. ” Said The Minister.
Information released by the Ministry so far indicates as follows.
*The outlets that have so far been closed include:*
1. Hungry Lion in Cairo Rd
2. Hungry Lion at Levy Junction
3. Asian Hut at Levy Junction
4. Wimpy at Levy Junction
5.Hungry Lion at Kulima Tower.
6. Kumushi Restaurant in the Show Grounds.
And the outlets whose samples have been taken awaiting results include:
1.Pick n Pay at Woodlands Mall
2.Debonaires
3.Mika Convention Centre .
The Ministry of Health has apologised for naming Pizza Hut and Mika Hotel as being cholera infected when their results are not yet out.
In a statement, Ministry of Health Head of Communications and External Relations Stanslous Ngosa blamed the mistake on a “mix up.”
Mr Ngosa said, “Dear colleagues! Kindly be advised that the Debonairs referred to during the press briefing is at Levy Mall and not Woodland. Samples collected from Mika and Pizza Huts awaits results. We apologise for the mix up,” Mr. Ngosa.
Briefing on Friday morning, Health Minister Dr Chitalu Chilufya announced that swabs collected from the said outlets had tested positive for cholera-causing bacteria.
And PizzaHut says it maintains the highest standards of hygiene at all its stores.
“We would like to inform the public that reports about our store being closed due to links to the Cholera outbreak are untrue. As a global brand we continuously train and try to maintain the highest standards possible . We have the following in place as our minimum standard.”
“All staff wash hands every 20 minutes with soap and sanitiser – all work surfaces cleaned regularly but sanitised every 2hrs without fail. Sanitiser buckets at all work stations which are changed every 4hrs – Sanitiser solutions are tested to maintain the correct level of anti bacterial solutions,all staff wear single use disposable gloves when prepping food – All staff have valid Food Handlers certificates this means they have been tested medically to work. Anyone is welcome to request to see any of this in any of our stores upon arrival.”
Meanwhile, Minister of Health Chitalu Chilufya has disclosed that his ministry has so far collected 144 water samples and swabs from various sources to test for cholera traces.
Speaking when he addressed the media in Lusaka Dr. Chilufya said of the 144 water samples collected, 99 have been tested so far and 34 have proved to be contaminated with Cholera.
Dr. Chilufya said government has also extended inspections to all food outlets because food stuff contamination is one of the major carriers of the cholera epidemic.
He has since advised residents of Lusaka to maintain high hygienic standards if the fight against the cholera epidemic is to be fought.
Dr. Chilufya said among the food outlets that have been put on high alert are Pick n Pay woodlands, Debonairs Levy, a Bakery in Matero, while Kumunshi Restaurant in the showgrounds has been closed down.
He said the ministry has started the testing of food handlers in all eating places especially in up market restaurants.
Dr. Chilufya said government will take tough but compassionate measures to ensure that all testing guidelines are implemented.
He has commended the University of Zambia for shutting down the institution in the wake of Statutory Instrument number 79.
Dr. Chilufya said the ministry is also in the process of burying shallow wells as safe water is cardinal in the fight against cholera.
He said cleaning up of markets is still ongoing, as they remain closed and shall only be opened once it is established to be fit.
Dr. Chilufya said government is working swiftly to ensure that the epidemic is contained and will advise when to open markets.
The founder of Kabwata Orphanage Angela Miyanda receives the donation from Association of Burundian Residents In Zambia Vice Chairperson Emile Masabarakiza (2nd) with his Chairperson Dieudonne Baranzira handing over the donated goods to Kabwata Orphanage goods worth K 30,000 during the donation
The Association of Burundian Residents in Zambia has called on parents and guardians in the country to stop all forms of stigma, discrimination and abandonment of children.
Association chairman Emile Masabakiza says stigmatizing, discriminating and abandoning children has got a psychological effect on them.
Reverend Masabakiza says children must be the loved, cared for, respected and emotionally supported in a holistic manner.
He said this when the association presented a donation worth K31, 000 to Kabwata Orphanage and Transit Centre.
The donated items include assorted food stuffs, drinks, educational materials, utensils and a bale of mosquito nets.
And Kabwata Orphanage and Transit Centre Director Angela Miyanda commended the association for the donation.
Mrs. Miyanda called on other organisations in the country to also help in creating an environment that is safe for children.
She said improving the well-being of children should not just be left to parents alone.
Kabwata Transit Centre serves over 500 under-privileged children.
Association of Burundian Residents In Zambia Vice Chairperson Emile Masabarakiza confers with the founder of Kabwata Orphanage Angela Miyanda during the donation goods to Kabwata Orphanage goods worth K 30,000Association of Burundian Residents In Zambia Chairperson Dieudonne Baranzira flanked by His Vice Chairperson Emile Masabarakiza showing the donated goods to Kabwata Orphanage goods worth K 30,000 to the founder Angela Miyanda during the donationAssociation of Burundian Residents In Zambia Vice Chairperson Emile Masabarakiza with his Chairperson Dieudonne Baranzira handing over the donated goods to Kabwata Orphanage goods worth K 30,000 to the founder Angela Miyanda during the donationAssociation of Burundian Residents In Zambia Chairperson Dieudonne Baranzira flanked by His Vice Chairperson Emile Masabarakiza showing the donated goods to Kabwata Orphanage goods worth K 30,000 to the founder Angela Miyanda during the donation
The Emerald and Semi-Precious Minerals Association of Zambia (ESMAZ) has appealed to government to allow dormant mines to merge so that they can attract bigger capital investment to help them kick start viable mining activities.
Reacting to government’s threat to revoke mining licences from dormant mines, ESMAZ president Victor Kalesha said most mines have remained dormant because mine owners have wrong geological data which made them begin spending their capital on mining activities that did not yield anything.
Mr. Kalesha argued that in most of the dormant mines, minerals are not close to the surface while the land is rocky thereby requiring bigger mining equipment.
“Government did not give us all this geological information. As such it is not our fault that we have remained dormant thus we are not going to allow government to revoke the mining licenses,” Mr. Kalesha charged.
He said government should instead dialogue with the mine owners and find a solution to the problem instead of threatening to revoke their licenses.
He suggested that government should also consider giving the small scale miners loans for them to hire mining equipment needed for them to begin mining.
And on the contrary, Small Scale Miners Association of Zambia (SSMAZ) has welcomed government’s plans to revoke mining licenses from dormant mines.
SSMAZ General Secretary Kakoma Luneta said the move will enable government to give the licenses to investors who will utilize them.
Mr Luneta said proceeds from active mines will benefit government and the local people through taxes and creation of employment.
He told ZANIS in Kitwe today that currently, the dormant mines were not of any benefit to both government and the local people hence the need to reallocate those mine portions to serious investors who will begin mining immediately.
He however advised government to reduce the mine portions when it begins issuing new mining licenses because mining companies only use small areas while the bigger chunk of the land remains dormant.
Mr. Luneta noted that this will help local people have some land for agricultural activities.
Government has this week threatened to revoke mining licenses allocated to small scale mines that have remained dormant to pave way for those with capacity to engage in serious mining.
A glimpse of Kabwe Central Business District after day one of a vigorous cleaning exercise carried out by the council, the provincial leadership and assistance from state police.
Some residents in Kabwe District in Central province have commended the government for ending street vending in an effort to prevent the spread of cholera.
They say what the government has done is a step in the right direction and the action will help keep the town clean and healthy.
Phil Mwape of Lukanga Township says that he is impressed with the measures government has employed in ensuring that the disease is contained.
Mr Mwape says he is especially happy with the current outlook of the Central Business District (CBD) which usually is congested with street vendors.
He says he is hopeful that the mitigation of street vending will be maintained even after the rainy season so that the town can retain its cleanliness which has not been experienced in a long time.
‘’I have been a resident of Kabwe, and Lukanga Township in particular for over 15 years now, and I must admit that this is the first time I am seeing the corridors and allays in town free of street vendors,’’ he observed.
He also appealed to the council to come up with a fine for people who will be found carelessly disposing of waste adding that this is because some people are fond of throwing litter anyhow and do not even care where that litter will end up.
And Exhildah Mumba from Railways Compound says government should not compromise on street vending because ending it is the only way to a healthy environment.
Ms Mumba observed that the issue of street-vending has been politicized for a long time but said that this should not be the case because cholera was a matter of life and death.
She said government should find other ways of engaging the street-vendors and making them understand why they should never trade from the streets.
She added that the vendors should, however, be given alternative trading places in the markets and that proper toilet facilities should be made available for them.
‘’You see, there is a lot of laziness amongst us as residents because instead of us walking to the markets where it is cleaner and safer for anyone to purchase their goodies, we would rather buy from the streets of where those foodstuffs are not even safe.
‘’I think I blame us as consumers because we are the ones encouraging the vendors. I think that once we stop buying from them, they will not display their goods in the streets but then this is quite difficult if the collective efforts from the general public is not at play,’’ she added.
But Kabwe Street Vendors Association Secretary General, Chabala Mutesha, says he is disappointed with the decision by the government to remove the street vendors from the streets because that is the livelihood for most of them.
Mr Mutesha says what government should have done was to remove only those dealing in foodstuffs which are often time contaminated and not that every street vendor is carrying the disease.
He said it is unfair to drive out everyone because some vendors are trading in goods that have nothing to do with the spread of cholera.
‘’I am very disappointed. How can they remove everyone, including those who are selling shoes and second-hand clothes as if those goods are equally contaminated with cholera?’’ he questioned.
‘’I personally think the government is being unfair on this one and they are not really considerate on the vendors whose livelihoods are dependent on such businesses,’’ he said.
But Acting Town Clerk for Kabwe, Paul Mukuka, has clarified that the issue of street-vending goes beyond food contamination.
Mr Mukuka says the reason for removing vendors from the streets is not only about what they are selling but the effects that come with the practice.
He has observed that there are no toilet facilities in the streets and as a result, the vendors have nowhere to go whenever they want to answer the call of nature and, as a result, they resort to the farrows and other hidden facilities within the streets to ease themselves.
‘’I want to remind the vendors that cholera is a contagious disease, so once we have people trading in the streets, regardless of what they are selling, we are still going to have huge groups of people from different localities going to buy from the streets and our efforts to control the disease will be futile,’’ he said.
‘’So, there is no need to choose who stays and who leaves; we are basically safeguarding the lives of the people including the same vendors who are equally at risk,’’ he added.
And Mr Mukuka has assured venders in the area that there is adequate space in the markets for everyone to trade.
He said there are over 1000 unoccupied trading spaces across the markets in the district but the traders would rather go to the streets instead of the markets that have been built for their convenience.
He added that the only sure way to end street-vending even after the cholera period is to stop buying from the vendors so that they can relocate to the markets.
The Acting Town Clerk said currently, a decision has been to prosecute anyone found trading in the streets.
Mr Mukuka has emphasized that the council has nothing against the street vendors other than safeguarding the lives of the residents from contagious diseases such as cholera.
He also noted that cholera was not only a serious health hazard but an impediment on the country’s economy because its presence simply means that all the economic resources that are meant for other sectoral programmes will be channeled to its mitigation.
Mr Mukuka, therefore, appealed to the residents of Kabwe to partner with the council and ensure maximum levels of hygiene beyond household levels.
Yesterday, the Provincial Epidemic Preparedness Committee resolved to halt street-vending as one of the measures of preventing the spread of cholera and other waterborne diseases in Kabwe.
A glimpse of Kabwe Central Business District after day one of a vigorous cleaning exercise carried out by the council, the provincial leadership and assistance from state police.A glimpse of Kabwe Central Business District after day one of a vigorous cleaning exercise carried out by the council, the provincial leadership and assistance from state police.A glimpse of Kabwe Central Business District after day one of a vigorous cleaning exercise carried out by the council, the provincial leadership and assistance from state police.
Luangeni Member of Parliament (MP) Charles ZuluA total of 24 expectant mothers died last year in Chipata district due to various maternal complications.
Chipata District Maternal and Neonatal Nursing Officer Sara Tembo revealed that 24 expectant women died in the district in 2017 with the last one dying on 28th December.
Ms. Tembo said it was unacceptable that mothers have continued to die while giving birth due to various maternal complications in the district.
She was speaking during the handover of a maternity wing at Makwe health post in Chipata yesterday.
She said it was the wish of the Ministry of Health to have a maternity wing at every health facility so that expectant mothers can deliver in a conducive environment with the help of trained health personnel.
Ms. Tembo said the district health office is extremely happy that a maternity wing has been built at Makwe health post which will greatly help expectant mothers seeking various antenatal services.
And Luangeni Member of Parliament Charles Zulu also expressed sadness that expectant mothers have continued to lose lives despite measures being in put in place by both government and the traditional leadership.
He said the maternity wing that has been handed over to the community in Makwe area will surely help expectant mothers access maternal services closer to their homes.
Mr. Zulu explained that expectant mothers in the area used to cover long distances to Mwami Mission Hospital to seek various antenatal services.
He said the facility, which has been built at a total cost of K250, 000 will cushion the number of maternal deaths in the area as well as shorten the distance being covered by expectant mothers.
Mr. Zulu has since appealed to the people of Makwe to make sure that they guard the facility jealously especially against vandalism.
The lawmaker also donated beds, mattresses and blankets valued at more than K5, 000 to the health post.
ChambaTen suspects have appeared in the Chadiza magistrate court for mention in a case where they are separately charged with one count of trafficking in Psychotropic Substances contrary to section 6 CAP 96 of the laws of Zambia .
Appearing before Magistrate Fred Musaka was Rabson Banda, Oscar Phiri, Elemiya Phiri, Nyongani Mvula and Michael Phiri.
Others are Stokeni Zulu, Agrippa Phiri, Stanley Banda, Joseph Phiri and Acklass Chilumbu all of Chadiza District.
Facts are that the accused persons were on December 29, 2017 in Chadiza District separately found in possession of different quantities of Marijuana after an operation conducted by the Drug Enforcement Commission (DEC) in the area.
Magistrate Musaka has since adjourned the matter to 17th January 2018 for possible plea and the ten accused persons have been remanded at Namuseche Correction Facility in Chipata.
In a similar case , a 33 year old woman of Chithobwa village in chief Mwangala’s area also appeared before magistrate Musaka for mention in a case where she is charged for unlawful cultivation of Psychotropic Substances contrary to section 9 CAP 96 of the laws of Zambia.
Fatiness Zulu was also arrested on 29th December by a team of Drug Enforcement Commission in the area.
The matter for Fatiness Zulu has also been adjourned to 17th January 2018 for possible plea and the suspected has since been remanded at Namuseche Correction facility in Chipata.
Chifubu MP Frank Ngambi speaking during the news conference
Chifubu constituency has put in place measures to stop the Cholera outbreak from escalating into an epidemic, area Member of Parliament Frank N’gambi has said.
Mr. Ngambi’s revelation comes a day after the constituency recorded its first case of Cholera, a 28 year old male patient who is admitted at Masala Main Clinic Cholera Treatment Centre.
Health experts have informed the constituency office that the patient contracted the disease from within his area, as he has not travelled outside Ndola district in the recent past.
Mr. N’gambi said one of the steps that had been taken was collaboration among various stakeholders, and the immediate step that has been made is to shut down bars and taverns that do not have toilets within.
The Chifubu lawmaker said he had noted that continued operation of the bars will pose a hazard to the patrons, who will be disposing off waste indiscriminately.
He has also urged markets and bars to keep their surroundings clean and wipe out of possibilities of the Cholera outbreak.
Mr. N’gambi said other activities that have been put in place to tackle cholera have been centred on education, law enforcement and infrastructural development.
And Copperbelt province Permanent Secretary Bright Nundwe has urged all district Commissioners in the province to ensure that epidemic preparedness and structures are wll coordinated..
Mr. Nundwe said the committees should ensure well-coordinated and stocked with adequate epidemic supplies to be able to mount a quick response should any case of cholera be detected in the province..
Mr. Nundwe said in an interview at his office that committees should meet regularly to review preparations in light of provincial and national risk factors.
He further said the ministries of Health and Local Government and other stakeholders should strengthen prevention activities including dissemination of health information, community sensitisation, water quality monitoring, food inspections and inspection of markets and other trading places.
He has since advised the two ministries to strictly enforce hygiene standards as stipulated in the public health Act Cap 295.
Since October last year, the province has recorded three cases of cholera two of which were confirmed last year and the latest one being reported yesterday in Ndola.
Yesterday Ndola district health office admitted a suspected cholera case at main masala clinic which is the designated cholera treatment center in the district.
The patient- male aged 28, a resident of Chifubu Township is in a stable condition and is responding well to treatment.
