Cholera vaccination in the pipeline

MINISTER of Health Chitalu Chilufya says all citizens in cholera prone areas will on December 26, this year receive an initial dose of two cholera vaccines.

Dr Chilufya said cholera cases in Lusaka have escalated with 601 recorded and 15 deaths which he said were attributed to late presentation at the health facility.

He said the situation was regrettable and that government with help from its partners had escalated the Multi sectorial response to the cholera outbreak.

The minister said he was working together with other line ministries such as the Ministry of Local Government, the Ministry of Water and Sanitation and Lusaka parliamentarians as well as other key stakeholders.

”All citizens in Cholera prone areas on 26th December 2017 will receive an initial dose of 2 cholera vaccines. The vaccination will start on December 26 and every citizen in cholera prone areas will receive 2 doses beginning with the 1st doze on December 26,” he said.

Dr Chilufya thanked the World Health Organisation for the donation of the cholera Kits which would be used in the fight against the disease.

He said Government working with WHO would start vaccinating all citizens in cholera prone areas. Dr Chilufya expressed confidence that the rapid response would help combat the disease in affected areas.

He observed that garbage collection by the Lusaka City Council (LCC) had improved.

Mr Chilufya said LCC with support of the Local Government Ministry has procured garbage collection equipment and had put resources in each ward to ensure that garbage collection was intensified. He said garbage collection, waste disposal and access to clean water were game changers in the cholera subject.