Central Province Health Director, Dr. Elijah Mutoliki receiving Klori-Safe from USAID Senior Technical Advisor for Central Province, Ms. Elizabeth Mulamfu (Credit dmukumbila for JSH)
USAID donated 14,000 bottles of Klori-Safe (Chlorine), 2,000 packs of Kit Ya Moyo (an oral rehydration and zinc product), and 60 gumboots to Central province to alleviate shortages and strengthen the Ministry of Health’s response to cholera in the area.
USAID Senior Technical Advisor for Central Province, Ms. Elizabeth Mulamfu, mentioned that the agency was aware of the shortage of water treatment commodities like chlorine in provinces impacted by cholera.
“We are making this donation to help meet the urgent needs of the people of Central Province to chlorinate water to prevent the spread of cholera,” said Ms. Mulamfu.
The commodities were procured by the USAID Zambia Accessible Markets for Health Project and handed over to the Central Province health officials during a ceremony at Anthu Omwe Private Health Center in Mungule, Chibombo.
Ms. Mulamfu said that as part of the ongoing efforts, the U.S. Government, through the USAID Zambia Accessible Markets for Health Project, trained 55 health workers from the private sector to identify and stabilize patients with cholera before transferring them to designated treatment centers.
“Aline Umutoni, Nyambe Mukela, and Don Musonda from Anthu Omwe Health Center took part in the training and are now able to contribute to the Ministry of Health’s response and treat patients with cholera,” she said.
Anthu Omwe Clinician, Don Musonda (1st from left) and Nurse Aline Umutoni (4th in line) posing for a photo while holding part of the donated items (Credit dmukumbila for JSH)
Nurse Aline Umutoni and other healthcare workers during the practical session of the Cholera Management training at Heroes Stadium Cholera treatment center in January
The Provincial Health Director, Dr. Elijah Mutoliki, echoed Ms. Mulamfu’s sentiments on Anthu Omwe’s contribution to supplementing government efforts to manage the cholera outbreak.
“The partnership we have with Anthu Omwe private clinic is what the government has been yearning for. Cholera, which was normally left to the public sector, is being managed by a private clinic here in Mungule,” he said.
Through USAID’s ongoing collaboration with the Ministry of Health to respond to the cholera outbreak, Anthu Omwe Health Center has been designated as an isolation center by the Ministry of Health through the Chibombo District Health Office and has treated 36 patients with cholera.