SCHOOLS TO REMAIN CLOSED
By CHIKUMBI KATEBE SCHOOLS will remain closed in Lusaka until Government advises as the Ministry of Health is studying the cholera situation to guarantee safety of the pupils.
The 2018 national school calendar was bound to start on January, 15 2018 but this won’t be the case in view of the cholera situation.
And Minister of Health Chitalu Chilufya has announced that Government has invested K64million in the fight against the current Cholera epidemic that as claimed 49 lives and affected over 1900 victims.
Dr Chiliufya said they were working together with the Ministry of Education in monitoring the cholera evolution in the city to certify safety for schools to open on January 15. He said schools were epicentres for contamination through cross-contamination while some others could be incubators which required effective decontamination before the opening.
“We need to watch the evolution of the disease before we guide the Ministry of Education when the schools could be open, as for now we are working with the Ministry of Education so that we time the opening of the schools in such a manner as not to flair off the epidemic. “We have set public health teams in schools to decontaminate the schools to ensure the water supply is good, and also safe sanitation in the facilities,” he said.
He explained that a task force was already in place to monitor schools’ sanitary conditions as well as safe water supply points to foresee the environmental preparedness for opening of the facilities to house a public gathering such as pupils and avoid cross contamination.
He said most deaths had been recorded outside the health facilities where people had died before receiving treatment, most of whom are said to have visited Lusaka’s Soweto Market, or eaten something from the street.
He said over 2000 food samples had tested positive with Cholera germs which included fresh fruits, vegetables and mushroom among others. Most this food is said to have been bought from Soweto Market, which has since been shut down.
And Ministry of Education permanent secretary Henry Tukombe said the ministry had already established contact with schools to ensure they put in place safe water supply facilities and sanitary conditions fit to ensure cholera did not spread to institutions.
He said with the high population in most affected areas, the ministry was already working towards predecontamination of school facilities in Matero, Kanyama, Mandevu, Chipata and all the highly affected areas and other areas to secure the safety of all learners.
And Ministry of Local Government has announced plans to construct a double story City Market to house over 14,000 stores following the fire incidences that burnt down the facility in 2017.
Minister of Local Government Vincent Mwale said Government was in the process of securing funds for the construction of 22,000 market spaces already being sought for within the city.