MUFULIRA ROTARY SCALES UP MALARIA FIGHT

THERotary Club of Mufulira has started implementing the Malaria Elimination Copperbelt Phase II project which involves training community health volunteers to fight the killer disease in three districts.

The project will be rolled out in Kalulushi and Luanshya districts, after a five- week break ahead of the August 12 general elections.

Rotary Club of Mufulira President John Mwewa said the Rotary was engaged in peace and conflict prevention, disease prevention and treatment, water and sanitation, maternal and child health as well as basic education and literacy.

Mr Mwewa said the target was not only to prevent and treat malaria, but also diarrhea diseases and pneumonia.

“We intend to achieve this goal by training community health workers in the three districts of the Copperbelt,” Mr Mwewa said.

He said the Global Grant project would train and equip 1,055 Community Health Workers (CHWs) to provide basic health care at the household level for 550,000 people in three districts of the Copperbelt.

Project Manager, Maudy Lwenje said by late July, all 387 CHWs for Mufulira District will have been trained and deployed to rural health posts closest to their villages for six weeks of supervised practice, and then to their home villages.

The current schedule entails 1,055 CHWs expected to be trained and equipped by the end of December, this year.

Mufulira District Commissioner Mike Manda said that almost the entire Copperbelt has continued to benefit from the humanitarian services offered by the Rotarians.

“Government cherishes the Rotary lasting legacy whose motto of ‘service above self’ we greatly admire. Our leadership has directed that no one should be left behind as we provide health to all,” Mr Manda said.

He said Government was implementing policies to strengthen its commitment to work with the Rotary clubs in improving the health status of communities.

On behalf of the Project International Partners, Modestine Kaoma said the project would improve health of over 500,000 people in Mufulira, Kalulushi and Luanshya districts.

District Governor 9210 Lucie Kasanga said the donation will help make a difference in the communities.

Copperbelt Provincial Medical Director Robert Zulu said the province was committed to ensuring malaria was eliminated.