British High Commissioner Nicholas Woolley confirms increased package of support to Zambia’s ‘Cholera fight’

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PRESS RELEASE

Communications Department
British High Commission
PO Box 50050
Lusaka

Telephone: +260 21 1 423 200
E-mail: LusakaPressEnquiries@fcdo.gov.uk
Website: https://www.gov.uk/world/zambia

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Monday 29 January 2024

UK ANNOUNCES FURTHER SUPPORT TO ZAMBIA’S CHOLERA RESPONSE

The UK today announced an increase in its support to Zambia in dealing with the current cholera outbreak.

British High Commissioner Nicholas Woolley confirmed that the UK was providing a package of support that would include both finance and technical assistance, to support the Zambian authorities in bringing the outbreak under control and reduce the risks to citizens’ health.

As part of this package, the UK is immediately providing additional financing to the Zambian Red Cross’s emergency appeal, which is providing key support to the Government of Zambia’s Cholera Response Plan. The UK’s new £670,000 (around 23 million kwacha) contribution will help the response plan to scale up activities in the community, helping to interrupt chains of transmission and set up oral rehydration points to provide early treatment.

In addition to financing, the UK is deploying technical assistance to work with the authorities to bring the outbreak under control. The UK Emergency Medical Team arrived in Zambia earlier this month to provide capacity building and training, policy and guideline development, and direct clinical care support to patients and medical staff at cholera treatment centres. In addition, a UK Public Health Rapid Support Team has also arrived in Lusaka to offer further technical support, helping strengthen the effectiveness of the Zambian response and putting in place preventative measures which will contribute to preparedness for future outbreaks. Both teams have been deployed at the request of the Zambian authorities and have extensive regional experience, including on Cholera outbreaks.

They will be joining the existing UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) team, which has an established close partnership with Zambia’s health authorities, helping to build technical capability and strengthen public health systems. The UK’s Fleming Fund will also support Zambia’s cholera surveillance, including through the provision of equipment, supplies, and technical assistance, to help track the outbreak and identify drug resistant infections.

Commenting on the UK’s announcement of support, High Commissioner Woolley said:

“On behalf of the UK I would like to express our solidarity with the Zambian people at this difficult time with the current cholera outbreak.

The 23m kwacha of UK funding will support the Zambian Red Cross to expand its operations and work to break those chains of transmission that could threaten a wider outbreak in communities across Zambia.

Meanwhile, experienced UK teams are here to work in partnership with and under the leadership of their expert Zambian counterparts, both to help treat patients, and to support the wider measures necessary to help bring this outbreak under control.

We commend Zambia’s efforts so far, including the tireless efforts of its healthcare workers and its rapid cholera vaccine roll out. I hope that UK support can help to reduce and minimise the tragic losses of lives and livelihoods that we have seen.”

Notes to Editors:
1. Responding to a severe cholera outbreak in Zambia, the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) has launched an emergency appeal for 4 million Swiss Francs. This fund is aimed at supporting the Zambia Red Cross Society, in its auxiliary role to Zambia’s Ministry of Health, to mitigate the impact of the outbreak on affected communities and prevent further spread.

2. The two-person UK Emergency Medical Team of specialist infectious disease consultants is providing technical and case management support to the Ministry of Health for ongoing cholera response activities at the national, provincial and district levels. Activities may include capacity building and training, policy and guideline development, as well as direct clinical care. UK-Med, the sole provider of the UK’s Emergency Medical Team, previously deployed to Zambia in 2020 to support the Ministry of Health in its COVID-19 response.

3. Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC)’s UK Public Health Rapid Support Team (a partnership between UK Health Security Agency and the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine) is a key international partner in epidemic disease response. They partner with low- and-middle income countries to respond to infectious disease outbreaks before they develop into global health emergencies. They work closely with international organisations, partner country governments and non-governmental organisations to:
a. Rapidly investigate and respond to disease outbreaks at their source in LMICs eligible for UK Official Development Assistance, with the aim of stopping a public health threat from becoming a broader health emergency.
b. Conduct research to generate an evidence base for best practice in epidemic preparedness and response.
c. Strengthen capacity for improved national response to disease outbreaks in LMICs.

4. The Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC)’s ODA-funded International Health Regulations Strengthening Project (IHR-S) provides peer to peer technical expertise through the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) to support public health partners to prepare, prevent, detect and respond to global health threats and increase compliance with the WHO International Health Regulations (IHR 2005).

5. The Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC)’s Fleming Fund is a UK International Development programme supporting countries across Africa and Asia to tackle antimicrobial resistance (AMR), a leading contributor to deaths from infectious diseases worldwide. Flemingfund.org / @FlemingFund.

Ends//

Issued by: Communications Department
British High Commission Lusaka,