Zambia: Minister of Health Sylvia Masebo has thanked stakeholders who have continued coming on board to donate assorted items towards the fight against the cholera epidemic.
Masebo said the donations have helped in managing the cholera epidemic.
She noted that the government alone cannot manage to fight cholera, but with concerted efforts, the disease can be well managed.
Media reports that the minister said this today at the National Cholera Center at Lusaka’s Heroes stadium when she received various items donated by the Medical Women’s Association of Zambia, Riah Foundations and the Pharmaceutical Society of Zambia, among others.
Masebo said partners should continue coming on board and help the government fight the disease.
In her daily cholera update, the minister said in the last 24 hours, the country has recorded 494 new cases.
Masebo noted that this is slightly lower than the 518 cases that were recorded yesterday.
She explained that the new cases are from seven provinces.
Masebo added that in the last 24 hours, the country discharged 434 patients coming from different health facilities.
She noted that the country has also recorded 16 deaths in the last 24 hours, adding that 12 are from Lusaka, two from Central Province and the other two from the Copperbelt Province.
Masebo added that from the 16 deaths, 12 were Brought in Dead (BID) while the rest were recorded from different health facilities.
She observed that from the numbers, it is clear that many people die at home because people were resisting and delaying taking patients to health facilities.
Masebo noted that delays in taking patients to health facilities have caused the country to lose a lot of lives.
Meanwhile, the Pharmaceutical Society of Zambia president, Kennedy Saini, says the association has donated materials worth over K50,000 to help fight the cholera epidemic.
The Medical Women’s Association of Zambia president mentioned that the association thought of joining hands with the government and donating different medical equipment.
Riah Foundation Director Mariah Kabwe said her organisation thought of donating baby clothes to the babies admitted at the National Cholera Center.