Fri, 12 Jan 2018 10:08:50 +0000
By VIOLET TEMBO
TIRELESS joint efforts aimed at cleaning 10 districts on the Copperbelt amidst the Cholera outbreak in Lusaka, have been accelerated with the Provincial administration targeting to raise K2.3 million towards the exercise.
So far Provincial Minister, Bowman Lusambo has spearheaded a lobbying committee for financial and material help from shop owners located in the Ndola central business district (CBD).
Mr. Lusambo disclosed that K1 million had since been raised from contributions made by the business communities adding that the cleaning exercise was meant to restore sanity on the Copperbelt.
He emphasized that his office was not only trying to prevent new cases of cholera but other potential diseases such as diarrhoea and malaria.
“The Provincial administration wants to keep Copperbelt clean from Ndola up to Chililabombwe.
‘The exercise is expected to be a continuous one and I expect all districts to have their cities swept.
‘We want to develop a culture of cleanliness and not just do it once because of the cholera incidences that have been recorded.
‘The exercise will be done routinely and it is my appeal to residents on the Copperbelt to do the same in their compounds,” he said.
Mr. Lusambo described the response from the business community as overwhelming, stating that it was their mandate to fulfill under the social corporate responsibility.
He said government had huge responsibilities, hence the private sector was expected to cushion the burden.
Meanwhile Provincial Health Director, Dr. Consisty Mwale, said the cleaning exercise was important for the Ministry of health because it was part of sensitization and awareness campaign.
Dr. Mwale said for the community to attain health, there was need for a clean environment to prevent outbreak of numerous diseases not only cholera.
He expressed happiness that the business community had responded positively to the cause of keeping the Copperbelt clean and hygienic.
He appealed to the community to support the exercise and support it fully.
