BY SYLVIA MWEETWA –

ANGLICAN Diocese of Central Zambia Bishop Derrick Kamukwamba has said of the 4,000 children registered under its early child development project, only 10 have birth certificates.
Bishop Kamukwamba said the church had since embarked on a  programme to sensitise families on the importance of having their children registered so as to allow them contribute  positively to the country’s development once grown up.
Speaking  in Mkushi’s Fiwila area  during the Anglican Women’s Conference, Bishop Kamukwamba said the most affected were those people living in rural areas, which was why the church was trying to fill the gap by going to rural areas.
He said the church would continue to work with the Government through the national registration office to see how best to resolve lack of registration of children.
“As a church, we have taken up this registration of children seriously because we realise that if this is not done, most children would lose out when there have grown up because as far the Government is concerned, they do not exist,” he  said.
He said child registration was biblical adding that the church would continue to spearhead other developmental programmes but said the child development project was also aimed at encouraging young girls who stopped school due to pregnancies, to return to school.
Meanwhile, Government has advised Zambians against unnecessary  handshakes and hugs following the recent outbreak of Ebola in West African countries and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).
Central Province Permanent Secretary Edwidge Mutale further advised  women to always take precautions, especially when handling those hit with water borne diseases.
Ms Mutale, who was speaking when she addressed the Anglican women’s conference which drew participants from Copperbelt and Central  provinces, said it was important to avoid handshakes  because it was one of the ways the disease was transmitted.
She said although Zambia was currently free from the disease, it was important that people were made aware of its effects.
She advised them  against harbouring foreigners who may have come from affected countries and that they should always encourage the foreigners to get checked by medical personnel.