Hunger a serious medical or health hazard- UPND

The opposition United Party for National Development (UPND) says the hunger situation in some parts of the country is a serious medical or health hazard with very devastating effects on those who are on therapeutic treatment such as TB, HIV/AIDS, Diabetes among other ailments.

UPND Deputy Secretary General Gertrude Imenda says good food is as good as treatment.

Speaking at media briefing in Lusaka, Mrs Imenda notes that in the absence of food and water, the drugs that are supposed to heal people will end up killing them.

She has wondered what evidence government wants in order to declare the hunger situation in the country a national disaster.

Mrs. Imenda has emphasized that hunger is an economic issue, stressing that if people do not have the means to buy food, they risk dying of hunger when help is not rendered in good time

Speaking the same briefing, UPND Lusaka Provincial Chairman Obvious Mwaliteta has expressed concern with the manner the government is denying that there is no hunger situation in the country to warrant the declaration of a national disaster when evidence is clear.

Mr Mwaliteta says there is no need to start defending the hunger situation in the country.