Zambia: The Chilanga District of Zambia has continued to record cholera cases in some health Centres. The cases of cholera have remained a major cause of concern for the members of the community.
Staring from October 2023 till Early April, the country faced what was arguably a serious outbreak of cholera in Zambia. The outbreak claimed hundreds of lives over the course of half a year.
The cases have now started to subside in many parts of Zambia, however, the health stakeholders of the Chilanga District continue to remain concerned. This is in light of the fact that the district is still experiencing the epidemic.
Acting Chilanga District Health Director Yvette Nampungwe shared the details of the situation with the media. Meanwhile, she claimed that the number of cases being recorded have greatly reduced.
Dr Nampungwe noted that the district records about four cases in a day or less. She also added that the cases are mainly coming from around Linda Compound and Chilanga Urban.
“The erratic water supply in the district is a source of concern which has seen people return to using shallow wells as water is a basic commodity needed on a day to day basis,” said Dr Nampungwe.
She explained that the members of the healthcare sector need to find a long lasting solution for the situation. She called on the Lusaka Water Supply and Sanitation Company to address the water challenge in the district.
The Acting District Health Director claimed that unclean and unsafe drinking water was the major contributor to the outbreak. Notably, the Lusaka region was the epicenter of the outbreak with most number of cases.
Dr Nampungwe noted that the water tanks put up by the water utility company in selected areas of the district are not consistent. As a result, the people need to use water every day, hence the need to find a lasting solution.
Meanwhile, Dr Nampungwe noted that during the cold season, due to lower temperatures, people tend to suffer from upper respiratory infections such as common cold and flu, even COVID-19.
She advised people to keep warm and avoid cold liquids such as freezits or ice blocks to help prevent catching the above mentioned illnesses especially for people with pre-existing health chronic conditions such as asthma as they are prone to have attacks.