Markets re-opening tabled
THE Ministry of Health is working towards the progressive opening of markets and other trading places to avert the economic crisis created by the effects of efforts to counter the cholera outbreak in Lusaka.
Meanwhile, Minister of Health Chitalu Chilufya has called on church authorities and other religious organisations to seek express permission from public health inspectors in their localities on the safety of intentions to hold public meetings in Lusaka.
This was in line with the Statutory Instrument No. 79 which banned public gatherings of more than 5 people in view of the cholera outbreak that has hit the capital city.
“The SI No 79 that is in force is categorical. It is talking about affected areas and may actually change as the epidemic evolves.
“No public gatherings in epicentres or areas where there has been cholera reported. This is a Public Health Act, cholera affected areas, SI 79, and clearly there will be no public gatherings in the epicentres,” he said.
He explained that these were measures currently being undertaken to curtail the spread of the disease.
Dr Chilufya said church administrators must engage technical health staff in their respective areas to advice on whether they should go ahead with their Saturday or Sunday church programmes.
“We have also heard there are sporadic cases that have been reported in non-traditional areas in Lusaka, but you need to engage with public health specialists on advise on whether there will be a higher risk of transmission or not,” he said.
Dr Chilufya explained that they have heightened intervention in all affected areas and so have temporarily suspended street vending in all areas as they improve waste management in all market places.
He said to expedite the process, the command centre would advise when to open markets which meet sanitation requirements to be clean and with adequate water supply.
Dr Chilufya announced that cumulative numbers of cholera patients have reached 2, 205 with over 100 new cases recorded in the last 24 hours with no fatalities.