CHIPUNGU

By KAIKO NAMUSA-
SUSPECTED sleeping sickness has broken out in Rufunsa District, east of Lusaka, Member of Parliament Kenneth Chipungu has said.
Mr Chipungu said the outbreak was due to increase in Tse-tse flies mainly in the areas that border the Game Management Areas (GMAs) owing to the constant interaction with wild animals.
Mr Chipungu said so far, eight cases had been recorded at Mupanshya Hospital.
He appealed to the Ministry of Health to help address the health concern and quarantine patients suspected to be suffering from the disease to ensure it did not spread.
He also appealed to the Ministry of Health to conduct aerial and indoor spraying to reduce the presence of mosquitoes following increased cases of malaria.
Mr Chipungu said that Rufunsa has recently been reporting close to 100 cases of malaria each week hence the need for a health intervention.
“There are increasing cases of malaria and my appeal is that the Ministry of Health should conduct an aerial or indoor spraying to control mosquitoes, otherwise we are receiving increased cases of malaria. It is shocking that we have been reporting 100 cases each week,” he said.
He said the disease burden in the area had contributed to the poor yield in the area.
The MP added that most of his constituents will need relief food and that he has already engaged the Disaster Management and Mitigation Unit (DMMU) on the matter.
Mr Chipungu commended DMMU for promptly delivering relief food to his area although some maize is still marooned at the storage shed while the people who needed it were suffering.