Q FM Africa's Modern Radio
President Edgar Lungu
President Edgar Lungu, who is also commander-in-chief of the defence forces, has directed all the three wings of the defence force to join the ministry of health and Lusaka City Council in escalated efforts to contain the spread of cholera which broke out on 6th October 2017.
And the head of state has directed that affected areas such as Soweto market be closed starting today to allow for thorough cleaning further stating that measures to be prescribed by the minister of health from time to time may include the suspension of street vending in identified areas in order to allow for thorough cleaning, garbage collection, unblocking of drainages and widespread decontamination.
In the last two weeks, three traders from Soweto market have died from cholera and 18 are currently under admission in cholera treatment centers.
It is in this against this backdrop that yesterday, President Lungu reviewed the ongoing interventions led by the ministry of health and LCC and came to the conclusion that emergency steps needed to be taken to stem the tide of the epidemic which has now spread to new areas outside the zones where the deadly waterborne disease broke out.
Amos Chanda Picture by Albert Mpezeni
In a statement read on his behalf by Special Assistant to the President for Press and Public Relations Amos Chanda, president lungu disclosed that the outbreak has so far affected over 80 residential areas of Lusaka district with most cases from coming chipata, garden, kanyama, chawama, matero, kabanana, garden house, mazyopa, chazanga, misisi, bauleni, mandevu, n’gombe, mtendere and john laing.
The president adds that more recently the outbreak has spread to low-density areas including rhodespark, woodlands, balastone, chelstone, silverest, chamba valley and ibex meanwood among others.
He has noted with concern that despite the commendable efforts and interventions instituted by multi-sectoral teams at all levels, the outbreak has continued with 1,550 cases recorded cumulatively with 168 undergoing treatment as at 06 hours on 29th december 2017.
He has further noted with great sadness that a total of 41 people have died of the disease since its outbreak with Lusaka recording an average of 60 new cases every day.
President lungu therefore expects the defense forces to work with ministry of health, and line ministries to report to him on daily basis on the progress they must make in the coming hours and days.
And the president expects traders and the general public to cooperate fully with authorities when the order the closure of Soweto and other markets identified as the epicentre of the epidemic.
He has since directed the ministry of health to immediately mobilize and deploy health staff to all affected and risky areas so as to avert any more deaths and further directed that all markets, bars, restaurants and other public places that do not meet the required public health standards and sanitary conditions and pose a risk to further cholera transmission be closed until they satisfy the required hygiene standards.