In a bid to combat the spread of cholera in Zambia, authorities have recently intensified their health awareness campaign. Since last October, the disease has experienced an alarming resurgence in the country, already causing the death of around a hundred people.
Health Minister Sylvia Masebo called for more drastic hygiene measures within households. His counterpart in charge of Water, Mike Mposha, announced a wider distribution of chlorine to disinfect contaminated water in the regions most affected by cholera.
According to Sylvia Masebo, five deaths and 111 new cases of contamination were recorded in just 24 hours, due in particular to heavy rains which accelerate the transmission of this bacterial disease through contaminated water and food. This is the highest daily figure for 2023.
Since October, there have been 93 deaths linked to this acute diarrheal infection, according to the National Institute of Public Health. The Minister of Health declared at a press conference that “our nation faces a major health challenge.” The mortality rate of the current epidemic, around 3%, is “very worrying”, she added, knowing that the rate internationally is less than 1%.
Zimbabwe, Zambia’s neighbor also affected by cholera, declared a state of emergency. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), more than 250 deaths have been recorded since February.
The WHO is concerned about the increase in the number of cholera cases worldwide in recent years, with Africa being the most affected region. The number of reported cases more than doubled, from 223,370 in 2021 to 472,697 in 2022. During 2023, there were already more than 580,000 cases in September, according to the United Nations health agency .
Zambia is also facing its worst anthrax outbreak since 2011. Kenya, Malawi, Uganda and Zimbabwe have also recorded anthrax cases this year, with a total of 20 deaths and around 1,100 suspected cases. in these five countries in mid-December.
The Zambian government and health authorities therefore continue to work hard to contain these epidemics and protect the population. Raising public awareness of the importance of hygiene and drinking water is essential in this fight against cholera and anthrax. By combining concrete actions on the ground and effective communication, they hope to reduce the spread of these diseases and save lives.