By STEVEN ZANDE –
GOVERNMENT has instituted a non communicable disease strategy plan which will help fight the prevalence of non communicable diseases such as cancer, diabetes and high blood pressure in the country.

. Mwaba

Ministry of Health Permanent Secretary Peter Mwaba said the strategy was aimed sensitising the people on dangers of the diseases which were caused by unhealthy life styles and poor eating habits.
Dr Mwaba said the programme would draw the participation of various stakeholders including the media who were crucial to sensitising the public on the dangers of non-communicable illnesses.
He said this in an interview on Thursday after the swearing-in ceremony of 57 Peace Corps volunteers who would be deployed in various provinces to do community work in health and education areas.
“We need to tell people about the prevalence of non communicable diseases. If we do not begin to tell them now we will not manage to defeat non communicable diseases,” Dr Mwaba said.
He urged the Peace Corps volunteers to scale up effective HIV/AIDS prevention mechanisms in communities with the view to help reduce the scourge among youths in the country.
Chief Chamuka of the Lenje people of Chisamba District in Central Province implored other traditional leaders across the country to embrace education in their areas for national development.
Chief Chamuka said children could be educated only if their parents and communities were willing to stop child marriages which were a hindrance to girl child education.
“Parents, community leaders let us allow our children to go to school.
These people have come to assist with education but that can only work if we are willing to let our children attend classes,” Chief Chimuka said.
United States (US) Ambassador to Zambia Eric Schultz said the US was committed to help Zambia achieve an HIV/AIDS free society.
Ambassador Schultz urged the volunteers to do their best in helping reduce new HIV/AIDS infections because a healthy population was crucial to Zambia’s national development prospects.
The American volunteers would be deployed in various provinces of the country of which 30 will be engaged in health care provision while 27 in different education activities.