By JULIUS PHIRI –

EASTERN Province has by March this year lost 17 women due to pregnancy related causes.
Eastern Province Permanent Secretary Chanda Kasolo said at a provincial epidemic preparedness, prevention, control and management meeting held in Chipata yesterday that the development was sad and unacceptable.
Mr Kasolo said in a speech read on his behalf by assistant secretary Royd Tembo that the number of women dying out of pregnancy was still worrying for the province.
“As at the close of 2015, a total number of 86 women died as a result of pregnancy and as by March 2016, we lost 17 women due to pregnancy, this is sad and unacceptable.
The provincial health office has indicated to me that one of the major problems the health sector is experiencing is that of inadequate blood availability and inadequate patient monitoring due to poor staffing levels in our health facilities,” he said.
Mr Kasolo said Government through the Ministry of Health would endeavour to ensure availability of blood  and other logistics and also  expand the staff establishment.
He said he was expecting the Ministry of Health with support from District Commissioners, the chief affairs office and other key stakeholders to unite in addressing the problem.
He said the threat from diarrhoea disease outbreaks in the province had continued especially with low access to safe drinking water which was at 60 per cent and inadequate sanitation at 79 per cent.
He announced that the province recorded two suspected cholera cases in Lundazi and Nyimba districts, respectively, but they both came out negative.
He said neighbouring Malawi was hit with an outbreak of cholera with 24 cases and one death.
Mr Kasolo said the province as at December 31, last year recorded a total cumulative number of 1, 143 cases of dog bites and five deaths as a result.
“As at March, 30 2016, the province has already recorded 327 cases of dog bites with 2 deaths from Sinda District. I expect to receive tangible solutions and reports from districts concerning this problem,” he said.
Mr Kasolo said the province had remained prone to many hazards such as disease outbreaks, floods, droughts, bush fires, road traffic accidents and human animal conflicts among others.