Cholera fight: UPND chips in
UPND says the cholera epidemic that has hit Lusaka is a national crisis that required concerted efforts to effectively eradicate, hence their decision to join the fight through a donation of various items to the Ministry of Health.
Speaking on behalf of UPND president Hakainde Hichilema, Mr Patrick Mucheleka explained that the donations were part of their response to the epidemic that has ravaged the country with over 2, 800 cases on record.
To help in fighting cholera, UPND has contributed a number of items including doctors’ coats, gumboots, cotton wool, examination and surgical gloves, ORS, antibiotics, tissues, bathing soap and chlorine of undisclosed amount towards the eradication of the fast spreading epidemic.
“We believe that the cholera epidemic afflicting our society was a common problem for all of us such that it doesn’t know politics.
“On behalf of UPND president Hakainde Hichilema, we feel duty bound to complement Government efforts in the fight against cholera. We believe this is a collective responsibility as all of us are potential victims,” Mr Mucheleka said.
Minister of Health Chitalu Chilufya and Local Government Minister Vincent Mwale said cholera was indeed bipartisan and the move taken by the opposition party to help Government was a reflection of true maturity and brotherhood in the response against the deadly disease.
Dr Chilufya said such situations must be a uniting factor for all stakeholders to pursue common goals to ensure the health of the people.
And Mr Mwale said the current cholera situation called for such unity to stand together and put politics behind for the sake of the Zambian people.