Proper disposal of masks a must - expert

The people must ensure that used masks are disposed of in proper and hygienic manner, the Ministry of Health has advised.

Ministry of Health spokesperson, Abel Kabalo, told the Daily Nation that managing matters relating to Covid-19 prevention was everyone's responsibility, hence proper disposal of masks was cardinal.

Dr Kabalo said that the Ministry of Health did not expect the public to ignore proper management of used masks as everyone had a role to play.

He bemoaned trend of disposing of masks indiscriminately across the country a situation that has come as a worry to many citizens and to Government

"We have taken into consideration this issue and we are, through the risk communication community engagement strategy, teaching people not only how to dispose of masks but also how to use them," Dr Kabalo said.

He fsaid that the team was also encouraging the community to utilise reusable masks if they felt they could not manage to dispose of the other type in a proper manner.

Dr Kabalo said it was not healthy for the public to continue disposing of surgical masks, without thinking of the danger on the environment.

"Let people always remind themselves on this responsibility and avoid being pushed around all the time or wait for authorities do the right things," Dr Kabalo said.

WE shall not allow frustrated and failed politicians like former Minister of Local Government Ackson Sejani to bring to life their dead political careers by insulting President Edgar Lungu and his government, Patriotic Front (PF) in Lusaka has said.

PF Lusaka Province Secretary Kennedy Kamba warned Mr Sejani to tame his tongue before it lands him into trouble.

Mr Kamba said Mr Sejani would never gain political mileage from anybody by always trying to insult President Lungu “who was working round the clock to ensure that the country survived these very difficult and hard times of Covid-19”.

Mr Sejani was quoted in some sections of the media saying that President Lungu’s decision to ease up on church gatherings was a careless, risky and dangerous.

He claimed “madness” had gripped the PF government and that was why the party was telling the nation that the church should get a police permit to congregate.

But Mr Kamba in an interview yesterday said there was nothing sinister about President Lungu telling the nation that the church congregate with strict adherence to recommended public health preventive measures.

“May I draw your attention to the news story in one of the tabloids where Ackson Sejani, a Former Local Government minister and Former Mapatizya member of Parliament is quoted saying madness has gripped the PF Government and that President Lungu is out of touch with reality.

“It is very clear that Mr Sejani and his cohorts in the UPND do not understand the matrix of modern day governance and its implications amid Covid-19 crisis.

“In his national address President Lungu made it very clear that these are difficult days. Difficult as it may be, life must continue while strictly observing laid down public safety measures to prevent the spread of coronavirus,” he said.

He in the first place said President Lungu did not close any churches but church mother bodies opted to close to for the safety of the members and to prevent the spread of the virus.

He said the matrix of governance right now worldwide was that leaders were looking at possibilities of opening up critical sectors of human life while looking at ways of managing the economy and the wellbeing of the people.

It is unfortunate and unacceptable that Mr Sejani and his friends are insulting President Lungu, he said.

“We cannot detach ourselves from reality and President Lungu had always been this leader who thinks about the plight of the poorest before thinking about those who can afford three meals a day,” he said.

He warned Mr Sejani to tame his tongue saying trying to capitalise on issues that were clearly a global crisis by insulting President Lungu might not go down well for him.