Acting Lusaka District Commissioner Martha Mwitumwa has observed that lack of adequate knowledge on hygiene has been one of the major causes of cholera outbreaks in the city.
Mrs. Mwitumwa said her office often received reports of disease outbreaks such as cholera and dysentery, which are related to lack of proper hygiene and sanitation in certain communities.
She was speaking at the launch of the “Wash Your Hands” sensitisation programme in Lusaka’s Kanyama compound today.
She explained that the sensitisation programme will take place in four of the seven constituencies of Lusaka namely Kanyama, Chawama, Mandevu
and Matero.
ZANIS reports that Mrs. Mwitumwa added that the Lusaka District Disaster Management Committee in conjunction with the United Nations Children’s Emergency Fund (UNICEF) has also come up with a community sensitisation programme that will help reduce risks among residents.
She said the launch of district risk reduction, preparedness and response programme will reduce flooding during the rain season and stop cholera outbreaks.
The Acting District Commissioner (DC) said the plan will consequently reduce mortality related to cholera through the implementation of water, sanitation, health, flood, control and information, education and communication programmes.
Mrs. Mwitumwa has since thanked UNICEF for working closely with Government in its efforts to prevent diseases and improve access to water and sanitation as a means of providing improved hygienic standards.
She further urged the people of Kanyama to take the message of hygiene awareness seriously so that the disease outbreaks can be lessened.
Meanwhile, Mrs Mwitumwa said despite numerous challenges and factors in the unplanned settlements, Government will continue working hard to deliver social services to the residents of Lusaka.
She said disasters in these unplanned settlements have had a negative impact on the economy through causing loss of life, damage to property and degradation to environment.
ZANIS
K5b can go a long away in alleviating sanitation problems in these compounds.
What an insult this is to the people! Whose fault is it?
Blame the ***** who doesn’t know he has to wash his hands right?
Yeah after all why has he chosen to go and live in Kanyama and Matero Don Chichi lived in
Kabulonga
Why is the word i•d•i•o•t not allowed on here?
Chizungu!
90 Days fo.olishness failed to clean up our cities.And most of those affected are PF psycos who will still vote for their senile chief kaponya even when he has failed to clean their areas through the PF controlled councils.
There’s no city gov’t anywhere in the world capable of collecting garbage the way it is done in Lusaka’s.Other places manage because there are strict collection points and days,severe penalties for littering and everybody pays to have their garbage collected.It is not thrown wantonly anywhere like in Lusaka and people have to be disciplined about it.That said,the authorities have to do better too.Enforce strict garbage disposal rules and fines.We’re tired of walking on heaps of trash in Lusaka.
VJ Plonker and the government of the day is?
A person your age should know better really but then again you have to
Survive.
Don’t blame the people for overflowing pit latrines, blame the council planners and MMD for encouraging illegal settlements. There are just too many areas without proper sewer facilities in Lusaka and cholera flourish in such areas. Water and sewer facilities should be developed before allocating plots and collection of garbage should be done for all areas on a weekly basis not on 10 year basis as it done. The council should not be selective in offering services.
The population, the selfish pf councillors and corruption contribute greatly 2dirty Lusaka city. Pf must never be voted in this year otherwise Lusaka will stink if ato it doesn’t stink now!