Veep cautions on cholera preparedness

VICE-PRESIDENT, Inonge Wina has directed stakeholders whose mandates relate to the identified risk factors for the cholera outbreak to expedite their respective prevention and preparedness measures for the rain season. Ms Wina warned that the risk factors were still there and very high despite the cholera outbreak being declared over. She said in a statement that the risk factors include lack of access to safe and clean drinking water, poor sanitation, poor solid waste management, and lack of water drainages as well as street vending. Ms Wina reiterated that it was imperative that the risks were urgently addressed by all stakeholders before the on-set of the 2018/2019 rain season in order to prevent the outbreak of cholera and other water borne diseases. She called upon the general public to strictly adhere to all the health and hygiene practices that the ministry of Health and other stakeholders had been advocating for. “Washing of hands with soap after using the toilet, ensuring that drinking water is boiled or treated with chlorine and avoiding buying ready to eat food from the streets. I hereby direct stakeholders whose mandates relate to the identified risk factors to expedite their respective prevention and preparedness measures,” said Ms Wina. Ms Wina directed Lusaka Water And Sewerage Company to speed up ongoing emergency works of expanding the network for the provision of safe and clean drinking water in Kanyama and other areas which were affected by the epidemic and that other water utility companies should follow suit.