The opposition United Party for National Development has asked the PF government to step up alertness and preparedness to contain the dreaded Ebola virus that has ravaged West Africa and fast spreading.
UPND Vice President Doctor Canisius Banda has said that entry points should be on alert and take measures that will protect the citizenry.
Dr Banda also prayed that individuals that took pride in smuggling foreigners in the country like Justice Minister Wynter Kabimba should be on the watch list as it was also a possible Ebola contact point.
Below is the full statement:
UPND SAYS ZAMBIA CAN’T CONTAIN EBOLA
OFFICIAL STATEMENT
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
The Ebola Threat
3rd August 2015
Zambia needs to safeguard its citizens from international health threats such as Ebola, good governance dictates that. This will only happen if the PF government invokes and implements the international health regulations [IHR] as guided by the World Health Organization [WHO]. Zambia needs to have in-country capacity for such preparedness, which capacity is currently NOT in place. All points of entry need to be manned by suitable public health officers at all times, the right number of people need to be trained in outbreaks’ communication, containment facilities need to be built at points of entry and adequate staff need to be ready to handle such an outbreak with all the requisite medical and surgical supplies in place. On each of these requirements, Zambia is NOT ready, and with the fiscal crisis that we are currently facing as a country, let us pray that this Ebola outbreak just does not reach us. Because if it did, all hell would break loose, bedlam would come to Zambia. It is likely that it is only by the grace of God that we will survive this global emergency. Though itself a reflection of poverty, this is the only time that poverty will protect us by our not having direct flights between Zambia and West Africa. This is also why we shall continue to call upon the Justice Minister and PF Secretary General Hon. Wynter Kabimba, to stop smuggling people into the country. This is banditry, and banditry kills. It is because of criminal activities like these that Ebola can be brought into the country, and subsequently the lives of citizens can be severely endangered. We therefore urge the PF to desist from criminality and instead focus on doing the right things for the sake of national unity and development.
Fellow citizens, kindly note that the signs and symptoms of Ebola include headache, sweating, sneezing, body malaise, vomiting blood, coughing blood, blood in stool and prostration. The disease often shows one to three weeks following exposure. Spread is from person to person through direct contact. And nearly everyone that catches Ebola dies. Let us continue to pray for ourselves and also for this sinful/criminal and corrupt bunch called the PF. The PF needs salvation very fast otherwise we are in for misery and pain! Our lives are indeed not safe with them. But even as we seek change of government, let us be contrite and forgiving. God, after all, is always in control and vengeance is entirely His.
Dr Canisius Banda
Vice President, UPND
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