Zambia News

On 24 March Zambia joined the rest of the world to focus on how best to defeat Tuberculosis, (TB), an old disease that can be prevented and treated, but continues to afflict and kill many people. TB is a major public health problem in Zambia and is the commonest opportunistic infection among people living with HIV. The Ministry of Health took the lead in forging a strong partnership with various stakeholders to advocate for intensified actions to eliminate TB in the country under the theme “Wanted: Leaders for a TB-Free world”.

In response to the influx of refugees from the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) into Luapula province, the WHO Country Office is working in collaboration with the Ministry of Health to strengthen disease surveillance in order to reduce the risk of spread of communicable diseases. The WHO Representative, Dr.

The United Nations in Zambia, the Centres for Disease Prevention and Control (CDC) and the UK’s Department for International Development (DFID) in Zambia have described the Cholera Treatment Hospital which was set up by government at the Heroes Stadium as a good initiative and a massive asset in the on-going cholera response and have also commended government for scaling-up preventive interventions in the community.

The Minister of Health, Dr. Chitalu Chilufya has reiterated the government’s commitment to ending the on-going cholera outbreak which has affected all the six sub-districts in the capital of Lusaka through a multi-sectoral response. Since the outbreak was declared on 6th October 2017, it has affected more than 2750 people with more than 50 deaths.

Zambia declared a cholera outbreak on 6th October, 2017 after two laboratory confirmed cases were recorded from Mazyopa area in Chipata sub-district in Lusaka district. The outbreak has since spread to other sub-districts within Lusaka and to Chongwe and Shibuyunji districts in Lusaka province including the Copperbelt and Central provinces. The outbreak is affecting people of different age groups including children under the age of five with more than 650 cases and 20 deaths recorded.

Dr. Nathan Nsubuga Bakyaita presented his letters of credence to the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Hon. Harry Kalaba at a brief ceremony which was held in Lusaka on 7 December 2017. This follows his recent appointment as the WHO Representative to Zambia. The Minister welcomed Dr. Bakyaita to Zambia and congratulated him on being appointed to his new position as he accepted his letters of credence. He assured Dr. Bakyaita of the Government’s commitment to continued collaboration with the World Health Organization in improving the health of Zambians.

The WHO Representative, a.i. Dr. Custodia Mandlhate has called for strengthening of laboratory systems in the country. During her familiarization tour of the laboratories at the University Teaching Hospital on 20 October 2016, Dr. Mandlhate said that efficient and reliable laboratory services and networks were essential and fundamental components of effective, well-functioning health systems.