Mon, 16 Oct 2017 12:24:35 +0000
….PS says 70 percent of patients are children
By Kalobwe Bwalya
CHOLERA cases have risen from 36 to 69 and the majority being under five children, Ministry of Health Permanent Secretary in charge of administration Kennedy Malama has confirmed.
Speaking after touring Bauleni and Kanyama treatment cholera centres in Lusaka yesterday, Dr Malama said 70 percent of the patients were children.
Dr Malama said there were 25 patients receiving treatment at Kanyama, of whom 24 were under five children and one male adult while Bauleni has one patient. Chipata and Matero treatment centres have no patients.
Dr Malama expressed optimism that all the patients receiving treatment were stable and would be discharged soon because children were able to breast feed and the adults were taking fluids.
He said despite the increase in number of cholera cases, the Ministry of Health had continued partnering with community health workers and other sectors such as Pharmnova.
He said this was because cholera cases were coming from diffident parts of Lusaka.
Dr Malama said according to the results of the water samples that had been taken for testing, most of them were contaminated.
He therefore appealed the general public to ensure they chlorinated or boiled the water adequately before taking it. And Dr Malama said the epidemic preparedness committees were now functional and rapid response teams were being triggered and health promotion messages had continued to be disseminated.
He said the ministry was also on the ground to sensitise the community on contact dressing to ensure that the pandemic was contained.
The permanent secretary said the majority of the cases at Kanyama centre were children because of lack of hygiene, saying this was why it was important for people to keep their surroundings clean.
Dr Malama said the Ministry of Health would continue distributing chlorine, disinfecting pit latrines and ensuring that water sampling was enhanced.
