Be clean, Lusakans counselled
ALL Lusaka residents should maintain cleanliness in their environments to avoid cholera outbreaks as the rainy season approaches, says Lusaka Mayor Miles Sampa.
Mr Sampa said Lusaka had had no records of cholera cases from last year and should, therefore, aim at having zero cases this year by escalating and maintaining cleanliness and hygiene standards.
r ampa said his office worked with the Ministry of Local Government to keep Lusaka clean and believed that efforts made to curb cholera would once again be a success.
The mayor said some areas in the city remained filthy and that was a danger because it could lead to an outbreak.
He said President Edgar Lungu wanted to see Zambia, especially Lusaka, free from cholera.
That was the reason he had embarked on the drive to clean up the capital city.
Mr Sampa said the resident-led clean up’ exercise of 2018 which saw the streets of the capital being swept clean of uncertified perishable foods and other garbage being peddled on the streets was meant to save lives.
And Mr Sampa said he was planning to focus on maximising his efforts in Operation Ubusaka to keep Lusaka clean during the coming rainy season.
He urged members of the public to develop a culture of boiling drinking water or chlorinating it to curb waterborne diseases.
“The rains are only about a month away, and cholera is a disease that comes from being dirty. o, let’s ensure that we pick up all the garbage in our surroundings. And I also want to increase my activities in Operation Ubusaka so that even in 2019 we should not have cholera,” Mr Sampa said.