Categories: Editor's Picks Health

Government launches National Strategy for Covid-19 prevention

Ministry of Health has launched the National Strategy for reducing new Covid-19 infections in the country.
Speaking at a media briefing, Minister in charge Dr. Chitalu Chilufya said the revised National Strategy emphasizes the critical role of the community in the response to COVID-19.
Dr. Chilufya stated that community engagement remains the key pillar in the fight against the pandemic.
He said government’s desire is to strengthen the strategy while continuing to emphasize the critical role of the community in mitigating the adverse effects of the pandemic, cutting transmission and reversing the negative trends currently being witnessed.
“This morning, we launch two important documents that will guide our national Covid-19 response. These are 1; a comprehensive strategy outlining the role of the community in Covid-19 prevention and control and 2; our revised Covid-19 surveillance and infection prevention and control, integrated guidelines and standard operation procedures.”
“The revision of these documents has been necessitated by the emerging scientific evidence and best practices as wells as recommendations by the World Health organization. Community engagement remains the key pillar in the fight against Covid-19, and in this regard we wish to strengthen our strategy as we continue to emphasize the critical role of community in mitigating the adverse effects of the pandemic,” Dr. Chilufya said.
Dr. Chilufya added that with the new strategy, it is anticipated that the public shall receive information for driving positive behavioral change in a more effective manner and government expects that there shall be behavioral change and the country shall be able to see the transmission being interrupted.
And Dr. Chilufya said the country has reached an advanced stage of the Covid-19 outbreak, as 63 districts have now reported cases.
He explained that this reflects significant and sustained transmission within communities, and the country is beginning to feel the impact of the increased numbers of cases on the health care system in Lusaka and the Copperbelt which are epicenters.
“Whilst we have made a lot of progress in the fight against Covid-19, there is need for us to review our performance and modify our strategies based on the evidence that we have gathered on the ground.”
We have reached an advanced stage of the Covid-19 outbreak, with 63 of our districts now having reported cases. There’s therefore need for us to strengthen our interventions so that we can reverse this trend, reduce the numbers of cases required on hospital management, and minimize mortalities.
He however stressed the need to protect districts that have either reported few case or zero cases.
Meanwhile, Zambia has recorded 154 new cases of Covid-19 out of 1,155 tests conducted in the last 24 hours.

According to Dr. Chilufya, the country has also recorded five Covid-19 related deaths out of which 2 are brought in Dead cases, and three are Facility based fatalities that occurred at Levy Mwanawasa isolation center and a private hospital in Solwezi involving an expatriate, bringing the total number of deaths to 274.

He added that 114 people have been discharged, therefore the total number of recoveries now stands at 9,140 while the cumulative number of Covid-19 cases is 10,372.

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