PRESIDENT Hakainde Hichilema will not attend the Nc’wala traditional ceremony at Mtenguleni royal village tomorrow, on account of advice from the Ministry of Health.
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The Nc’wala traditional ceremony is annually celebrated by the Ngoni people at Mtenguleni in Kasenengwa district, Eastern Province.
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A health advisory, to the Eastern Province and participation of President Hichilema in the Nc’wala ceremony, signed by Minister of Health Sylvia Masebo, has been issued this evening.
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The minister says there is an increased risk of those travelling to attend the ceremony of getting exposed to the virus that causes COVID-19 or the bacteria that causes cholera.
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There is currently a cholera outbreak in Vubwi, Chipata, Chipangali and Lusangazi districts in Eastern Province, and Nchelenge and Mwansabombwe districts in Luapula Province.
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Masebo notes that a vigorous response to the cholera outbreak in the aforementioned districts is in place.
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She, however, adds that those who will be attending Nc’wala ceremony ought to practice enhanced health precautions, both against COVID-19 and cholera.
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She says district and provincial multi-sectoral teams are making efforts to ensure a safe environment, through provision of clean water and sanitation facilities, as well as good hygiene practices.
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“While these efforts might be modestly successful prevention measures on the crowd attending the ceremony in Mtenguleni alone, the additional political crowd likely to be attracted by the presence of the Head of State in the province is likely to stretch these efforts,” said Masebo.
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“To sustain the progress made in the control of the scourge so far, it is the opinion of the Ministry of Health that the presidential entourage does not travel to the province. This will help focus our intervention measures on the ceremony to prevent any new infection in Chipata and surrounding districts.”
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Several Cabinet ministers are, however, in Eastern Province to sort of compensate for the absence of the President at Ncw’ala.
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Kalemba February 24, 2023
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