MoH received K122 million for Cholera response

Health Minister Chitalu Chilufya

Health Minister Dr. Chitalu Chilufya has disclosed that his ministry has so far received K122 million from the treasury and corporate entities towards the cholera response.

And Dr. Chilufya says the Cholera taskforce set to review the fishing ban has revised the review date to re-examine the cholera epidemic in the fishing camps date to April 1st from April 3rd April.

He says to date; the ministry of Finance has released K119 million of which K99 million has been spent, while K3.2 million was received from various organizations and individuals.

Speaking to Parliament in a ministerial statement, Dr Chilufya says the funds have been distributed to the Lusaka Water and Sewerage Company, Disaster Management and Mitigation Unit, Lusaka City Council, defence and security wings and the ministry of Health itself.

He says through many interventions that Government is and has implemented to fight cholera, the epidemic is gradually being contained in the country.

Meanwhile Dr Chilufya says the ministry of Health is actively carrying out surveillance and diseases intelligence, emergency preparedness and response to address the outbreak of Listeriosis in South Africa.

Dr Chilufya says though case of Listeriosis has been reported in Zambia, Government is working with local and international stakeholders to ensure that the people are protected from the outbreak.

He adds that the country has the capacity to diagnose and treat the disease.