The government has announced that all schools, colleges and universities will be closed on Friday 20th March in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic that has affected most parts of the world.
Minister of Health Dr.Chitalu Chilufya says the government has decided to close all learning institutions in a bid to prevent the outbreak of the coronavirus that has claimed 7,130 lives worldwide with over 181,000 cases recorded.
Speaking at a briefing, Dr. Chilufya says his ministry has so far trained over 500 health workers in preparation to treat covid 19.
Dr. Chilufya says the nation will be guided when the learning institutions will reopen.
Full Address by Minister of Health Honourable Dr. Chitalu Chilufya on the imminent outbreak for COVID19.
Possible outbreak and further preventive measures on COVID19 preparedness.
Zambia has not confirmed any case thus far, the following additional measures have been put in place:
1- Screening process: Zambia Public Health Institute mandatory screening at every point of entry.
Statutory instrument enacted for COVID19 which means it is a notifiable disease and citizens must abide by instructions from authorities.
– 2-14 days quarantine from a high-risk country if symptomatic, – if symptomatic, a person will be isolated for symptomatic management and treated.
Areas in Lusaka, Petauke, Chinsali, Livingstone, and Copperbelt have been identified.
The MOH has put in place an adequate number of rapid responders.
2- We are emphasizing on the restriction of ALL foreign travel, reschedule all avoidable travel.
3- Hygiene practices to be enhanced, MOH has engaged with airlines and introduced a pre-departure screening.
4- There are two known high impact interventions, hand hygiene, and cleaning of communities to be upscaled. MOH and all line ministries will continue to engage that this is followed through.
5- Religious leaders and other leaders requested to take hid, mandated to facilitate handwashing facilities at places of worship and reduction of hours on the congregation.
6- All schools, colleges, and universities will close this Friday and between now and this Friday we will be disseminating knowledge of how to prevent COVID19. Engaging infection prevention. This just brings forward the recess for these institutions. And we will be giving guidance on reopening.
7- Misinformation will disturb the response. As minister of information, Honourable Dora Siliya has sated, press statements will be distributed through press only. We will be giving regular updates as the epidemic evolves.
For community, if any symptoms. Report to authorities.
Find below contact details for the Zambia National Public Health Institute. In the event an individual presents the Corona Virus Symptoms, the procedure is that you call the numbers listed below and a team will be dispatched to you, this is to avoid spread.
Zambia national public health Institute
Mobile +260 97 4493553
Mobile +260 96 4638726
Mobile +260 95 3898941
Hehehehehe…….are they also going to shut down companies and all government departments, because people will continue accessing those services that these institutions provide. Why has this disease been given special attention? Because it affects the well-to-do? What they are supposed to shut down are the borders. The solution is simple. All those entering our country must be thoroughly screened
Let’s close all the schools and universities and leave the boarders wide open kaili corona virus will come from matero boys
But COVID 19 is not even in Zambia. What’s the fuss a out?
Precaution, my man.
These comedians are really taking us for granted. They close all schools and colleges but leave tarvens /bars, borders and airports wide open. Shame
Zambia really has no president. In other countries, Presidents has faced their people in a crisis.
ECL must be having a braii as we struggle.
Make sure you close all beer taverns as these are the worst places for the spread of all kind of diseases and also breeding grounds for mass hysteria and rumours.
Never trust Politicians!
They are closing not because it’s the right thing to do but because they don’t want to be blamed should the unthinkable happen!
It’s all Fear Factor!
I wonder if the Education Minister was consulted on this. Schools closed mid-month before people are paid. Is GRZ considering helping parents with cash to travel and pick children in Boarding schools?
The minister of education was present during this briefing.
This is so premature, do not just copy what western countries have done we have not recorded one single case in Zambia.
Why wait for a reported case first to take action when our neighbors already have it? Its only a matter of time. We don’t want what happened in Italy( Second best Healthcare in the world) to happen here. We are not well equipped to handle this, and MOH has already admitted to having less than ideal ventilators. As much as I dislike this govt, I commend them for being proactive in keeping the country with zero cases.
Remember Zambia is a landlocked country. The virus has been recorded in Congo, Tanzania just to mention but a few. Zambia is a route to many countries that are located in southern, central and east Africa.
So you want leaders to take precautions after cases of the corona virus have been recorded in zambia?
Think before criticising. You are up to no good.
Kanshi Chitalu nayena takwata mano mwaa? so even Chitalu has no brains, heee!
Nga imwe mwebakwata a man, what can you advise the government and the people of zambia?
We know that staff in these learning institutions have not been paid their salaries since January 2020 and have been on go slow since then. The closing the schools, colleges and universities because of covid 19 sounds a good scapegoat. Covid 19 is not yet in Zambia. School calendar and production in companies and other industries should go on while monitoring Covid 19 trends. Bwana minister, it’s the failure to pay staff salaries in learning institutions that has gravitated to opt for a temporary relief to PF regime of closing these institutions. Staff salaries will need to be paid and worse including the closure period staff will need to be paid.
Palibe nzelu apa.
Corona is already in zed.
Well done boma.
However, close your borders now as well.
No thought is given, why close schools close borders, 500 trained staff for 14 million people, do they have masks and gloves? allow gatherings in church that is where the virus is breeding, but of course this is Zambia, just pray and it will all go away, fools close sport events, churches, and beer taverns and of course the border.
Even the city,Newyork, that does not sleep has been forced into Naptime to slow down and manage the outbreak of the virus We have obseved Public schools, bars ,restaurants and unnecessary communal and travels have been suspended This the same response among-st the 30 Countries here in Africa Zambia should not be an exception I think they have learnt hashness of the virus from Italy the severity of the virus were Drs had to choose between which patient to treat and save and who should be left to die amidst other patients still incoming in overstretched hospitals Zambians must act with responsibility to be cool and calm to protect the fragile healthy system and indeed…
preserve some economies amidst threats posed by the virus
The severity of the case has been confirmed now in 32 countries in Africa with Somalia very venerable given its weak healthy system ranking as the most riskiest Travel restrictions are necessary There is need also to made available at household level testing facilities and capacitate local clinics near household to effectively response and manage any cases they may occur without the need to send samples across the boarders in case of complications presented
On the economic front we expect the policy response from minister of Finance also on how to mitigate the effects and insulate to provide stimulus for the economic…
This should have been announced by the two Ministers of Education and not the proven corrupt man. We dont know what he is thinking about when he closes the schools. He want to benefit from the proceeds of buying masks and those tuma sprays and gloves. The chap is in quick bine. I just dont trust this man and I dont think there are any insignificant others left to trust him.
What a disaster!!!!
Close down all street vendors and cholera agents who sell foodstuff to the public. Kulima tower market is prime area for Covid-19 to spread.
No logic behind this decision meanwhile all bars and taverns its business as usual..
Very good at copying….me too syndrome…now follow the Western world and legalize gay marriage…..kaili you like copying…when chorela hits you fail to contain it or shut down institutions….now kukopela bazungu
Well done minister Chilufya. Prevention is better than cure. We living in fear in Mzansi here.
Good Move but I have one concern,. Schools, Colleges and Universities have been closed which even maintain some level of Hygiene, why have Prisons been spared?
This government is actually late in taking this action. By the time the first Covid-19 case is announced, by then the disease will already be widespread because of asymptomatic transmission. This not a political issue and it affects all rich and poor. Just check out the list of high profile victims including politicians sports stars, A List movie stars. The government in fact has to block all persons coming from high risk countries as has happened all over the world from Asia, Europe, the Americas including Africa,,,so why be the only dumb_ass country that still allows this to happen?
Zambia has a competent minister of health who knows what he is doing. Well done. No reacting to disaster; pre-empting its horrible strike. The measures taken are the best. You may have read that Kenya has even banned visits to chimpanzee game pack because they are like humans.
Well done Ministry of Health, prevention is better than cure
This corona virus is mainly is cold countries. It’s on its way to Zambia in June .What happens then?
Hw about prayer? Why should the world’s only Christian country suffer together with those countries not protected by the blood of Jesus?
Does Zambia got testing kits for coronavirus? Developed countries are struggling with accessing these kits. Botswana, which is even better than Zambia in terms of healthcare sends their suspected cases to south africa. It is very unlikely that Zambia has the capacity even to test for this virus. It may also take long to detect the virus because some patients are asymptomatic for a considerable time.
A decisive government putting people first. Only those without a brain can criticize such an important decision.
Please worship at home. Churches should be given air time on radios and tv. Please co-ordinate this. There should be deep cleaning of residential areas particularly townships. Guys we need to set aside political differences and work together, keeping an eye on your neighbours. Sharing with the poor. Keeping our environment clean us really needed.
Don’t panic. Pray in faith and believing in God’s Power over you.
WHY DO YOU WANT TO CLOSE LEARNING INSTITUTIONS WHEN THERE IS NO DISEASE IN THE COUNTRY? IN THE UK WHERE THERE ARE CONFIRMED CASES OF CORONAVIRUS, SCHOOLS ARE STILL OPEN? JUST TELL US THAT YOU HAVE NO FACILITIES FOR DIAGNOSING THE VIRUS OR YOU ARE DELIBERATELY NOT TELLING THE PEOPLE THE TRUTH. THOSE CHOCHOLIS AND TRADERS HAVE FOR SURE BROUGHT THE VIRUS IN THE COUNTRY AND YOU ARE NOT TELLING US THE TRUTH. NDOLA AIRPORT SOMETHING HAPPENED TWO DAYS AGO.
Is govt. facilitating the transportation of all needy pupils/students with this sudden closure? Is this a prudent measure based on evidence, considering that there is no officially recorded case of COVID-19, yet, in Zambia? We haven’t even banned people arriving in Zambia from the countries that are burdened with the virus as far as I know. How are we ‘reducing’ a virus we haven’t yet identified and where, by sending all pupils/students home? In the meantime people will still mingle at social venues? This is about measured right decisions on evidence and at the right time – not knee jerk reactions only meant to be ‘seen’ to be doing something.