REPUBLIC OF ZAMBIA MINISTRY OF HEALTH PRESS STATEMENT ON THE CHOLERA SITUATION IN ZAMBIA

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REPUBLIC OF ZAMBIA
MINISTRY OF HEALTH

PRESS STATEMENT ON THE CHOLERA SITUATION IN ZAMBIA
(Lusaka – 10TH February, 2024)
Fellow citizens, Members of the Press, distinguished guests, Ladies and Gentlemen,

GOOD MORNING

It is a pleasure to be here in Bauleni to engage you all and see how together we can find solutions towards ending cholera in your community and indeed the whole country.

We have been fighting this Cholera outbreak that commenced in October 2023 in Lusaka and then spread to all provinces in the country. This outbreak posed a threat to the health security of the nation and therefore called for an intensified multisectoral response. It also called for rigorous efforts to quickly and effectively control this life-threatening disease.

As we have been reporting in our daily updates, this Cholera outbreak has had a widespread impact related to cases and deaths recorded countrywide. The outbreak has also caused negative socio-economic impacts including delay the opening of schools. Unfortunately, the outbreak has also affected normal operations of many businesses.

The Government under the leadership of His Excellency Mr Hakainde Hichilema is putting deliberate efforts to control the current cholera situation and prevent future outbreaks. We have intensified our community efforts working jointly with our line ministries of local government and housing and others. We have so far been to Matero, Mandevu, Kanyama, Chawama consituencies. Today we are focusing on Bauleni in Lusaka Central consituency and tomorrow we will concetrate our efforts in Munali constituency. We will mobilize our people in cleaning various public places where we live.

Fellow citizens, Members of the Press, distinguished guests, Ladies and Gentlemen,

Today we report of 163 new cases countrywide recorded in the past 24 hours compared to 169 reported yesterday. Of the 163 cases we recorded countrywide in the past 24 hours, 100 cases were in Lusaka province. Further, 84 cases of these were recorded in Lusaka district. Kanyama constituency reported the highest number of 29 cases followed by Matero (21), then Munali (11), then Kabwata (9), then Chawama (8) and Mandevu (6).

Outside Lusaka district, Chilanga has reported 13 cases whereas Chongwe has reported 3. Luangwa and Rufunsa have not recorded any death.

The Hero’s Stadium cholera treatment centre, continues to host patients. As of 06 hours this morning, we had a total of 46 patients in admission compared to 43 patients we had in admission yesterday. Among these, 26 are males, 7 are females and 13 are children. 26 were referred to this facility in the last 24 hours compared to 10 yesterday. We also made 20 discharges during this same 24-hour period and referred 4 patients to the Levy Treatment Center.

Fellow citizens, Members of the Press, distinguished guests, Ladies and Gentlemen,

We are still concerned over the low but sustained number of cases we continue to see outside Lusaka Province. Of the 163 cases reported in the past 24 hours, 17 were from the Copperbelt Province, 20 from Central Province, 7 from Southern Province, 7 from Eastern Province and 10 from North-Western Province. Western and Muchinga provinces reported 1 case each. Today, Northern and Luapula Provinces did not report any case.

Country wide, we discharged 187 patients in the last 24 hours. 112 of these discharges were from Lusaka. We therefore have 208 patients in admission with 125 of them being in Lusaka based treatment centres.

Countrywide, we recorded 3 deaths in the past 24 hours. 1 from central and 2 from Copperbelt provinces. All the three deaths happened in the communities and brought in dead to the facilities.

The total number of cases so far recorded now lies at 18,262 cases and 644 deaths.

Fellow citizens,

We have received a lot of support from the donor community either in form of technical support and also support towards supplies. WHO has been with us from the beginning of the epidemic and they continue to provide valuable support. Today WHO, upon our request, is giving us 723,582.30 USD towards various areas of the response. Further, WHO is supporting us with supplies worth 115,200 USD towards this response. This consignment comprises tents, PPEs, medicines, and diagnostic tests and others. These are now at our airport awaiting clearance.

We are highly indebted to WHO for all you have to support our people. This is true partnership and we are grateful as a nation.

Fellow citizens, Members of the Press, distinguished guests, Ladies and Gentlemen
Again, fellow Zambians,
● let us not be tired of using clean water for drinking
● let us not be tired of using clean and safe water to brush our teeth, wash and prepare food
● let us not be tired of having clean hands by washing our hands often with soap and safe water before, during, and after preparing food
● let us not be tired of having clean hands by washing our hands with soap and safe water after using the toilet
● let us not be tired of chlorinating our drinking water or boiling it, even if it is from a borehole or from the service providers
● Let us Visit the nearest healthcare facility immediately we experience symptoms of watery diarrhoea and vomiting.

Let us Kick Out Cholera and move towards ZERO Cholera deaths!

I thank you!

[Original Signed]

Hon. Sylvia T. Masebo, MP
MINISTER OF HEALTH