The United States Government has provided chlorine drops to sanitize more than 120 million liters of water in Lusaka and Luapula provinces as part of its life-saving support interventions toward the fight against cholera.

And US Embassy Public Affairs Officer Janet Deutsch says the Millennium Challenge Corporation has also committed $3 million to partner with the Ministry of Local Government to establish a solid-waste management utility company in Zambia.

“The United States Government has responded to a request by the Government for support to fight the recent cholera outbreaks in Lusaka and Luapula provinces. Immediate US assistance includes life-saving support through interventions such as chlorine drops to sanitize more than 120 million liters of water, making it safe to drink,” stated Deutsch.

“The U.S. Millennium Challenge Corporation has also committed $3 million to partner with the Ministry of Local Government to establish a solid-waste management utility to improve solid-waste collection and disposal in the city of Lusaka.”

Meanwhile, the UK government is contributing K51,430,000 over four years, from 2016 to 2020, to support government in responding to health emergencies, including the current cholera outbreak.

The UK has further assisted the Ministry of Health to train 128 health workers in integrated disease surveillance and response in Lusaka districts.

British High Commission Lusaka communications officer Tresford Mumba stated, Wednesday; “The UK government through its Department for International Development (DFID) is working in partnership with the government of Zambia (GRZ) and other development actors to help tackle the outbreak of cholera and prevent its spread. The UK is providing expertise and financial support to improve outbreak preparedness and response.The UK government is providing a total of £3.7million (K51,430,000.00 equivalent) over four years (2016-2020) to the World Health Organisation (WHO) to support GRZ to prepare and respond to health emergencies, including the current cholera outbreak. The UK has assisted the Ministry of Health to train 128 health workers in Lusaka districts in integrated disease surveillance and response, provided vehicles, cholera treatment and prevention kits, supplies for diagnosis and information/communication materials.”

Meanwhile, Zanaco PLC has donated K1.5 million towards the purchase of 130 x 10,000 litre water tanks to help the Ministry of Health intensify its fight against cholera.

In a speech read for him by Zanaco Head of Retail Banking Simon Chuma, Bank Managing Director Henk Mulder said controlling cholera and its effects was a very expensive venture which government could not do singlehandedly.

As of Wednesday 06:00 hours, Lusaka had recorded 83 new cholera cases with 179 under treatment, whereas 12 news cases had been recorded in other districts with 218 under treatment bringing the cumulative number to 2,905 cases with cumulative death toll at 67, countrywide.