Traditional leader warns against cholera
By MUKOSELA KASALWE CHIEF Chanje of the Chewa in Eastern Province has urged people in his chiefdom to heed warnings against cholera and guard against its spread.
The traditional leader has encouraged all indunas and village headmen in his chiefdom and Chikuwe to ensure that they participate in sensitising the communities on how to prevent and avoid the cholera epidemic.
In an interview, he said members of the traditional leadership should ensure that all homes and surroundings were kept clean.
Chief Chanje said he would personally conduct inspections of homes and surroundings to ascertain that hygienic conditions were adhered to.
“I have instructed all my indunas and village men in my chiefdom and Chikuwe to take part in sensitising our people in our villages on the dangers of cholera and how to prevent the spread of the epidemic.
He called on clinical officers within the chiefdom to help in the sensitisation campaign whenever indunas and village headmen conduct their meetings.
Chief Chanje said all homes should ensure that they had pit latrines and that open defection should be discouraged if the epidemic was to be contained.
Recently, Health Minister Chitalu Chilufya said reported cholera cases had continued to propagate in most parts of Lusaka with over 60 deaths recorded countrywide and that some provinces had continued recording sporadic cases that were linked to Lusaka.
Since the reports of the outbreak of the water-borne disease the country has been on a vigorous massive clean-up campaign following the directive from President Edgar Lungu aimed to get rid of the epidemic.