Senior Chief Calls for Covid-19 Test Kits at Border Villages

Senior Chief Kanong’esha of the Lunda people in Mwinilunga district has asked the Ministry of Health to distribute testing kits for Covid-19 to border areas such as his. 

The traditional leader says his chiefdom is situated over three main border crossings with Angola and the DRC, which are frequently used by people from those countries. 

Senior Chief Kangon’esha expressed his concern that it would be difficult to manage any outbreak of Covid-19 in the area, because of the free movement of people over the borders. 

The chief made his worries known during a visit by the Minister of Fisheries and Livestock, Prof Nkandu Luo, at his palace on Wednesday. He also asked that border officials be equipped with thermometers and face masks. 

Senior Chief Kanong’esha, who is also head of the Northwestern Province Council of Chiefs, has himself donated resources towards the campaign to prevent the spread of coronavirus, and called on other traditional leaders to do the same. 

Prof Luo said she was impressed by the chief’s contribution and promised to deliver the funds to Minister of Health, Chitalu Chilufya. 

The fisheries minister has also announced that her department will be conducting research into the link between the coronavirus and animals, which may act as an intermediary host for the virus. In the meantime she has advised Zambians to distance themselves from animals in the same way they are distancing themselves from other people.