OLIVER SAMBOKO writes
THE formation of the Cross-border Disease Outbreak Preparedness Committee by Zambia and Zimbabwe will foster disease surveillance and response by health experts in the two countries, Zambia National Public Health Institute (ZNPHI) head of surveillance and disease intelligence, Dr. Muzala Kapin’a has said.
Dr. Kapin’a said the collaboration between Zambia and Zimbabwe will also help reduce the risks of cross border disease transmission between the two countries.
She said the collaboration is important because Zambia and Zimbabwe share a long borderline area which made it easier for diseases to be easily transmitted between the two nations.
She said health experts from the two countries were meeting in Siavonga to, among other things, operationalise the Zonal Disease Outbreak Preparedness Committee.
Dr. Kapin’a disclosed that the Cross-border Zonal Committee will consist of health experts from Hulungwe and Kariba District in Zimbabwe and Chirundu and Siavonga District in Zambia.
She said that, during the meeting, experts will also carry out joint simulation exercises aimed at coming up with workable systems and plans that can be used during disease outbreaks.
She further said the meeting will also look at how the two countries can collaborate during other emergencies and events such as earthquakes and cyclones.
”The two countries will also discuss how to deal with any event that could have negative impact on the health of the two peoples,” she stated.
She said that apart from Zimbabwe, Zambia was also collaborating with the Democratic Republic of Congo, Tanzania, Malawi and Mozambique along the same lines.
