The WHO Country Office yesterday made a donation of vehicles, boats and computers valued at six million Zambia Kwacha to the Ministry of health as part of its continued support for strengthening national capacities to detect, report and respond to public health emergencies. The acting WHO Representative, Dr. Custodia Mandlhate handed over to the Health Minister, Honourable Chitalu Chilufya thirteen (13) 4x4 Land cruisers (hard top), 2 Land cruiser Prado, two banana boats and 15 Dell Laptops which will be utilized in the health emergencies program in the country’s ten (10) provinces and ports of entry. This donation has been made possible through the WHO Emergency Preparedness, Integrated Disease Surveillance and Outbreak response project which is funded by the United Kingdom Department for International Development (DFID) for the period September 2016 to August 2021. Dr. Mandlhate also handed over to the minister a total of 5 Land cruisers (hard top), 10 Dell desk top computers, 10 Samsung Galaxy tablets and I scanjet through the WHO Influenza Preparedness (PIP) Framework. The Influenza programme is operating in 9 sentinel sites in Lusaka, Monze, Nakonde, Ndola and Samfya districts. The 5 vehicles donated will go to the Virology laboratory at the University Teaching Hospital in Lusaka and the influenza preparedness sentinel sites in Monze, Nakonde and Samfya.
