Luapula Minister Benson Kapaya has feared for the outbreak of diseases at Kirwa Island where Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) refugees are hosted.
Brigadier General Kapaya has said the refugees are living in deplorable conditions as they do not have food or access to clean water. He said most of the refugees are sleeping in classrooms and churches because of limited facilities to accommodate them.
He has since asked the ministries of defence and home affairs to facilitate the screening process in order to avoid any outbreak of diseases.
Brig Gen Kapaya was speaking when defence minister Geoffrey Mwamba and other senior government officials went to tour Kirwa Island for them to understand the situation on the ground.
Many refugees fleeing war from the DRC have since settled on Kirwa Island, which boarders their country. But recently government indicated that they will soon start repatriating the refugees back to their country. Home affairs permanent Max Nkole said this follows a peace agreement that has been reached between government forces and the M23 rebels.
Zambia has recorded over 500 refugees from DRC following the war the M23 rebels and government forces. The M23 rebels initially rejected a call by regional leaders to withdraw from the main eastern city of Goma but later consented to a peace agreement.