Zambia set to eliminate cholera

ZAMBIA is determined to eliminate the cholera epidemic which has constantly been ravaging the country, says Ministry of Health director of public health Andrew Silumesi.

Dr Silumesi said that would be done by implementing hygiene, water and sanitation programmes to prevent the outbreak of the epidemic in the future.

He said the response to the fight against the epidemic brought out the best of how a nation could respond to a threatening situation and how best to move forward in improving hygiene and sanitation.

Zambia has informed the United Nations that the high level political commitment was exhibited by President Edgar Chagwa Lungu, in halting the cholera epidemic that ravaged Lusaka and other parts of the country in January this year.

Dr Silumesi told the United Nations that following the outbreak of cholera in Zambia this year, President Lungu mobilised his Cabinet and appointed a Committee of Ministers to oversee the fight against the epidemic to stop its spread in the shortest time possible.

He said the last outbreak of cholera in Zambia was an important lesson and that it was encouraging that the political leadership at the highest level was involved in combating the epidemic.

“Zambia has just come out of a ravaging cholera outbreak which was fiercely fought in cooperation with our bilateral and multilateral agencies.

Dr Silumesi told the delegates to the ongoing High Level Political Forum that effects of the cholera outbreak in Zambia were evident in the public health and economic sectors and that the country was deprived of certain benefits as businesses and commercial activities came to a halt thereby affecting many households.

This is contained in a statement in New York issued by first secretary for press Wallen Simwaka at the ongoing forum under the theme; “Driving gains in Health, Nutrition through Water, Sanitation and Hygiene.”