Cholera outbreak in Zambia - 2018 school calender to be delayed

Following the outbreak of cholera in parts of Zambian that has recorded about 50 deaths, the government has announced that the 2018 school calendar will delay indefinitely.

According to a joint statement by Minister of Health Chitalu Chilufya and his education counterpart Dennis Wanchinga, the re-opening of schools countrywide has been deferred until further notice.

We have had an outbreak of cholera from October 6, 2017 and it has affected mainly Lusaka Province and we have recorded sporadic cases in various parts of the country,” says Dr Chilufya.

Cholera, which broke out in October last year in Lusaka, the country's capital, has now been reported in other parts of the country.

According to figures from the Ministry of Health, cumulative cholera cases have now reached 2,148 countrywide, with the country's capital accounting for 2,091 of the cases and 51 deaths.

The government has responded swiftly by closing markets, banning street vending and suspending transportation of farm produce to the capital while some fast food outlets have also been affected.

We have recorded a total of 2047 cases and Lusaka alone is accounting for 2000 cases. Cumulatively, we have recorded 50 deaths, with Lusaka accounting for 47 deaths. We have mounted a robust multi-sectoral approach involving various sectors, he added.

Dr Chilufya has issued a Statutory Instrument N0. 79 of 2017 which evokes provisions of the Public Health Act to ensure that the spread of the outbreak and loss of life is prevented.

He said deferring the re-opening of the schools countrywide was to avoid many gatherings in various educational facilities.

The decision will be reviewed at the end of this month.

So, this is an important measure and will apply to all schools nationally and we will be able to review this decision by January 30, 2018. This period will allow us to work with the authorities in the schools to look at water and sanitation facilities, correct them where need be and so there is a task force that is working to ensure that water facilities, sanitation facilities in the schools is in good shape, he said.

President Edgar Lungu this week deployed the army to help ‘escalate effort’ by the ministry of health to contain the cholera outbreak.

In a Facebook post, the president said he had determined that ‘emergency steps needed to be taken’ after reviewing the ongoing interventions by the health ministry.