01/10/2026
In my opinion, the cholera outbreak reported by the Ministry of Health across seven districts in five provinces is a wake-up call we must answer with action, not fear. Eleven lives lost and 304 cases reported is a serious matter, but the good news is that 230 patients have already been discharged and the case-fatality ratio stands at under one percent, showing that our health facilities can manage this when people seek care early.
The negative effect if we don't talk about this openly is that communities continue to delay seeking treatment, which is exactly what led to eight of the eleven deaths occurring at home rather than in health facilities. Silence costs lives. When people don't recognize the symptoms or fear stigma, they wait too long.
We need a nationwide community mobilization campaign that brings cholera prevention education directly to households, ensures clean water access in every affected district, and encourages early treatment-seeking behavior. Every Zambian should know that cholera is treatable and that walking into a clinic early saves your life. Let us turn this moment into a movement for better sanitation, clean water, and health awareness across our communities.
Source: Mwebantu
