The Minister of Health recalled that Zambia and the Democratic Republic of Congo (RDCongo), devastated by the cholera outbreak, border several provinces of Moxico, Cuando-Cubango, Lunda Norte, Lunda Sul, Malanje, Uíje, Zaire and Cabida.
Sílvia Lutucuta, in a statement made public this Thursday, stated that there is intense mobility of people and goods between Angola and the republics of Zambia and DRCongo, therefore warning of the risks of the disease.
The Ministry of Health, in this statement with guidance on how cholera is transmitted and how to avoid it, highlighted that cholera can kill within a few hours, if not treated, asking citizens to notify the authorities in case of suspicion.
Measures such as frequent hand washing, maintaining personal hygiene, treating water with bleach, boiling water and washing fruit with treated water are among the authorities' recommendations.
Angola, which has already reinforced epidemiological surveillance measures, has so far not recorded any cases of cholera.
Zambia and DRCongo, both countries with an extensive land border with Angola, are the countries that have recorded the cholera outbreak, due to the intense rains that fall in those territories, with reports of cases also being recorded in Zimbabwe, Malawi, Mozambique and Tanzania.
The acting President of the Southern African Development Community (SADC) and head of State, João Lourenço, defended, on Friday, the urgency of coordinated and effective action to stop the outbreak.
“The public health crisis plaguing our region represents a serious threat to sustainable development and the well-being of our people. At this critical moment, we must recognize the urgency of our response and the need for coordinated and effective action, as cholera knows no borders and requires a regional approach to tackle it,” he maintained.
