-Typhoid death claims refuted

Typhoid death claims refuted
Chipata, June 3, 2013, ZANIS……..The Ministry of Health in eastern
province has refuted claims in the media that the three people who
died in Petauke district were suffering from typhoid.

Provincial Medical Officer Kennedy Malama told ZANIS in an interview
that Petauke has not recorded any cases of typhoid since the
outbreak of the disease in Chipata and Lundazi districts last month.

He has since advised stakeholders in the health sectors not to issue
statements on health matters to the media without seeking correct
facts.

The three who were reported to have died from typhoid actually died from
suspected food poisoning according to confirmed reports from health authorities in the district.

Meanwhile, Dr Malama said typhoid cases in Chipata and Lundazi
districts stand at 46.

He said Chipata reported an increase of one case making it 18 while
Lundazi still stands at 28.

He said that no new deaths have been recorded due to typhoid.

“The death toll still stands at six; we are not complacent as we have
intensified preventive measures,” he said.

And Dr Malama said the Ministry of Health has strengthened health
inspection in public institutions due to the typhoid outbreak in the
province.

He explained that the inspections are aimed at ensuring that public
institutions adhere to good health and environmental conditions to
avert any possible cases of typhoid.

The medical officer added that a number of public institutions among
them Petauke Boarding which was closed and later reopened, and
Chizongwe Boys Technical schools were inspected.

He noted that although Chizongwe school has adequate water supply, the
sanitary conditions at the institutions need to be improved.

Dr. Malama said  eastern province has adequate Antiretroviral drugs
although there have been reports of Neverapine shortages in the country.

He said though the province had recorded reduced stock levels at some
point, no one missed taking the drugs and people on ARVs continued to
take their treatment.

Dr Malama said there is no need to panic because the flow of the drug
has now stabilized.