Zambia: A Traditional Leader in Mazabuka’s Shembwe Village, Itebe Ward, Harry Ng’andu expressed concern for the 600 people relocating from fishing camps. The government has asked families occupying the fishing camps to relocate to other locations.
The traditional Leader has expressed that the families are facing an increased risk of cholera infection amid the widespread outbreak. He believes that the people would face issues in finding clean food and shelter in the new settlement.
Harry Ng’andu has since noted the urgent need to provide decent living conditions to those affected to ensure the environment becomes habitable. Ng’andu fears that if left unattended to, the new occupants are likely to face worse conditions than those at the Fishing Camp.
This situation at the fishing camp at least provided a viable source of survival. Meanwhile, Itebe Ward Councilor, Fanwell Lwiindi, says he is aware of the situation the relocated people are facing.
He acknowledges the poor living conditions, adding that the new occupants lack a water supply and decent toilets.
Lwiindi notes that the District Disaster Management and Mitigation Unit-DMMU, has been engaged.
The country has been struggling with the outbreak of the disease for the last four months, starting October 2023.
The outbreak has claimed over 590 lives in the last months. The total number of infections that the country has recorded over the same period is over 15,900. The Ministry of Health is working hard to ensure that they can attain the goal of zero cholera deaths in Zambia.
Working towards the same mandate, the officials of the Ministry of Health, led by Sylivia Masebo are sensitizing the people to follow preventive measures. The preventive measures include the usage of clean drinking water, maintaining hygiene and more.
Meanwhile, the authorities are also urging people who have been diagnosed with cholera to seek immediate medical attention. They want to make sure that all the people of the country can continue to access medical attention.