Eastern Province has continued to be at risk from various forms of disease epidemics.

Eastern Province has continued to be at risk from various forms of disease epidemics.
This came to light during the first quarter of the Provincial Epidemic meeting being held in Chipata.
Eastern Province Permanent Secretary, Bert Mushala says that the epidemics include, measles, cholera, polio, meningitis, rabies, anthrax and other diarrhoea diseases.
Mr. Mushala says that by last month, the province had recorded a total of 84 measles cases, 557 bloody diarrhoea and 121 dog bite cases.
He added that malaria, HIV and AIDS and tuberculosis have continued posing a huge threat and that every day, new challenges are emerging on how to prevent and control diseases.
Mr. Mushala urged all stake holders to step up efforts and ensure that the trend does not continue stating that that there is serious need for proactive and not reactive action to prevent these disease epidemics.
He says that government is the process of introducing a measles second dose which will be given to children at 18 months of age.
Mr. Mushala says trainings for health workers on the new vaccine will soon be conducted and that government has also introduced a vaccine to prevent pneumonia in children.
Mr. Mushala also says that lack of approved dump sites in the province requires urgent attention.