GIVE US CONTRACTS, LOCALS CRY TO MOH

A LOCAL association has appealed to the Ministry of Health to give priority to local suppliers and contractors in the awarding of tenders as opposed to always preferring foreign entities.

In an interview in Lusaka yesterday, Cleaners Association of Zambia (CAZ) president Lawrence Makumbi said recent events at the ministry have proved that some foreign companies do not care about people’s health and are only interested in money.

Mr. Makumbi said going forward, the CAZ will be grateful if priority is given to local suppliers and contractors in the procurement of goods, services and equipment because there are even laws and statutory instruments that give preference to Zambians to supply a number of goods and services.

He called for implementation of the said SIs unlike the way they had been ignored in the past. He said procurement of goods, equipment and other services has for a long time been in the hands of foreigners who were given an open door policy to sell their commodities to the ministry.

He said the CAZ has been vindicated by the recent events at the ministry because the association has been calling for procurement of goods and services from local suppliers.

FOUR churches in Kapiri Mposhi have had their permits revoked for abrogating Covid-19 health guidelines.

Meanwhile, Kapiri Mposhi has recorded 447 cumulative positive Coronavirus cases with nine deaths since the outbreak of the pandemic.

The churches had their permits revoked for failure by congregants to wear face masks, absence of hand washing facilities at the church premises and lack of physical distancing.

Kapiri Mposhi Town Council revoked gathering permits.

During an ad-hoc

Epidemic Preparedness Committee meeting, Council Health Inspector, Rabby Mwansa said the four churches were among 31 inspected on observance of Covid-19 health measures recently.

Mr Mwansa said that 21 out of 31 churches inspected were also cautioned for not fully observing health measures.

He said the affected churches would only be allowed to congregate after meeting the prescribed health measures to prevent the spread of Coronavirus.

“To increase and strengthen compliance to Covid-19 preventive measures the council has stepped up inspection of public places such as churches, markets, shops and schools and we will close any public place found not adhering to health measures,” Mr Mwansa said.

The district has recorded 447 cumulative positive Coronavirus virus cases and nine Covid-19 related deaths since the outbreak of the viral disease.

Acting District Health Director, Katherine Kalumba, said the district had setup an isolation centre at Kapiri Urban Clinic which had one Covid-19 patient.

Dr Kalumba said 30 health staff had been trained in Covid-19 surveillance and case management in the district.

“Since the outbreak we have collected 5, 655 samples out of which 447 have come out positive with nine deaths so far,” Dr Kalumba said.

She said there was adequate manpower and oxygen equipment at the isolation centre to respond to the current statistics of Covid-19 being recorded in the district.

Meanwhile, Kapiri Mposhi District Commissioner, Smart Mwila, bemoaned the low compliance levels in the district.

Mr Mwila said the authorities should move in to enforce Covid-19 regulations at super spreader events such as funeral and church gatherings.