‘CEASE MATERNAL DEATH!’ ESTHER LUNGU

By Andrew Phiri, Lundazi

FIRST Lady Mrs Esther Lungu has raised the bar high for maternal health in Lundazi District in Eastern Province in a bid to put to stop the increasing burden of maternal mortality rate in the District.

Pregnant and heavy, women are travelling a long stretch in the bush on bicycles in order to access maternal health services in Lundazi District.

At times, the man is unavailable to accompany the heavy woman and worse still unwilling to escort the expecting mother to the health facility despite not having any means of transportation.

It is both availability and access to maternal health services that compound the challenge of mothers in rural communities. At the extreme end of it, death has occurred hence the clarion call ‘no woman should die while giving life’

It is this challenge that took the First lady of Zambia Mrs Esther Lungu to the east in Lundazi District from the comfort of state house to spend five days with rural based mothers in Lundazi District.

Mrs Lungu repeatedly called ‘no woman should die while giving life’ and true to her passion, she has embarked on a robust undertaking to fight for safe motherhood in the country.

Zambia joined the global community in marking this year’s Safe Motherhood Week under the theme “Universal Access to Sexual and Reproductive Health, leaving no one behind” 

An eight months pregnant woman, who has just turned 18 years old arrives at Kamsoro Rural Health Centre to seek maternal services in a conducive environment. She will spend the next few days at the Health Centre in the maternity Waiting Room constructed through the SIDA/USAID supported Reproductive, Maternal, New-born, Child, Adolescent Health & Nutrition (RMNCAH&N) program.

Cindy Chirwa is RMNCAH&N national coordinator who undertook tour of the four maternity waiting rooms constructed in the Lundazi District.

She reveals that a total of K550, 000 was spent on each of the three maternity waiting rooms and one maternity annex.

According to the World Health Organisation Country Representative Dr Nathan Bakhaita, although strides have been recorded in the bid to end maternal mortality, developing countries like Zambia still had work to do.

Dr Bakhaita commended government for the demonstrated commitment and efforts exerted towards the end of maternal death.

A group of Safe Motherhood Action Group (SMAG) surrounded First Lady Mrs Esther Lungu in Mwase Lundazi with heartrending music drawing her attention to the challenge expecting mothers undergo in the process of giving life.

“Amama nthumbo yauka, ine nalimnbana nayo – nalimbana nalimbana nayo, amudala agonelamo kumoba, amama ine nthumbo yauka (Mother, I have laboured with this pregnancy despite my husband continuing drinking beer all-night long)”

This was a demonstration of what mothers go through during labour without much support from their husband. Some walk for about five hours to get to the health facility without support from their husbands.

It is for this reason, Chief Madzimabwe in Chipata District told the First Lady how her chiefdom had started punishing men who do not support their wives during labour.

FRUITFUL CHAT WITH INQUISITIVE BRO ‘SON’ ON CHOLERA

…thoughtfulness of a metaphorical father

Today, I was approached by my first born son Dee not David concerning the unusual Sunday of family worship in place of the usual gatherings. “Dad, why aren’t we preparing for church today as we always do on Sundays?” asked Bro Son also called Dee not David.

I asked the boy to seat down with me. As we sat on the couch – he looked at me straight in the eyes as I explained the situation at hand. ‘Listen Bro Son’ I started. In life there comes a time when the country is in a crisis that doesn’t only affect the individuals but also the family and ultimately the nation as a whole.

He attentively listened as I pointed out to some items in the news bulletin we monitored last night, reporting on the cholera situation in the country. ‘This situation is not hopeless, son!’ I added much to his consolation thus loosened his face.

‘Dad, what about school?’ he asked. Last week I told Bro Son that he won’t report for school this month as the Ministry of Health, General and Higher Education deferred opening of schools at primary, secondary and tertiary levels nationwide to avoid further spread of the epidemic especially including the unaffected places.

The boy likes mangoes. I told him that he will not eat mangoes for now since our supplier is not allowed to do his usual business. Again he tied his face. “It’s for our good, son!” I emphasized.

“But what is this cholera, daddy?” he asked.

I quickly became serious to explain to my son. I told him that Cholera is a disease that is causes a lot of watery diarrhea (Cloudy rice water) and vomiting. This leads to rapid loss of water and salts from the body (dehydration). Cholera can caused death from dehydration.

Bro Son doesn’t get tired of asking questions. He further asked how cholera is spread – so I explained that Cholera germs feaces and vomits of an infected person. Cholera is spread when faeces from an infected person get into the water people drink or the food people eat. In addition, when it is spread when a person takes care of another who has the disease and they do not observe strict hygiene.
It is also spread through handshake with a person who has cholera germs on their hands.

The signs and symptoms of cholera are; severe vomiting, severe watery diarrhea (cloudy rice water), feeling body weakness, dehydration – with or without stomach pains.

Bro Dee quickly washed his hands and refused to shake my hand after the chat.
Beloved, adhere to hygiene standards at all cost. Remember, it is a better year.
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#MyWitDiary|1of2018

RHETORIC OF AN ALL-ENCOMPASSING OBLITERATION

…cleansing the city, annihilating vibrio cholerae

WALKING down the corridor amidst media colleagues. Armed with weapons of war – cameras, recorders, ball points and social media tools – the power of a united, purpose driven battalion to the national cause launched in.

Thoughts of the waterborne epidemic poured in the dish of my memory as my size feet were made wet by spraying. Conferring protection on me.

Anxiety of getting infected of the fearful, sweeping disease currently hitting our screens, circulating our airwaves and occupying pages of prints – the big story is CHOLERA OUTBREAK. Yes, it is the cholera outbreak in town – the closest my country has gotten to war. The war that calls for citizens’ arsenal and absolute adherence to outlined preventive measures.

Media comrades set in with shutters and lenses on the republican president - Commander in Chief. As asserted in the Medical Journalism doctrine ‘In battle; the pen, camera and recorder and gadget of livestream –are the quadruple threshing instruments that annihilate the enemy of nations faster. Information is it!” #MyWitDiary|1of2018

The command is power to the people. United in service to end the epidemic dubbed ‘the vibrio cholerae national war 2017/2018 - won by the people’. I mean once and for all!

If the words of health transformation agenda ached your hearing since November 2016; now is the time to recall the words of Minister of Health Dr Chitalu Chilufya ‘We need to promote heath and prevent diseases” yes, because curative is expensive, time-consuming, memory tasking and energy supping.

Halt fellow soldier – Do not retreat: Boil drinking water or treat it with chlorine always to make safe. Because the mighty warriors have fallen.
Remember to wash hands with safe water before preparing or handling any food.

On nutrition comrade – Do not eat food from the streets or unlicensed public eating places. Cook food well, keep it covered, eat it hot, and peel fruits and vegetables. Avoid eating raw foods. Always wash fruits and vegetables with clean and safe water. Cover the food and heat it before eating it.

Note that a soldier must keep his surrounding clean. Clean up surfaces in the kitchen and in places where the family bathes and washes clothes with disinfectants.

It is everyone's victory. My country will win!