Deadly Medical Myths

© stepmap.de

 

By Derrick Silimina

Zambian health officials are grappling with a wave of dead-on-arrival cases at the country’s main referral hospital. The spike in cases may be related to residents not following Covid-19 guidelines, as well as to widespread misconceptions about the virus.

Zambian health officials have spotted a worrisome trend: More and more patients are dying before reaching University Teaching Hospital (UTH), the country’s largest referral hospital.

“We have recorded an increase in the number of Brought-In-Dead (BID) cases,” says Dr Lloyd Mulenga, director of infectious diseases at Zambia’s Health Ministry. According to him, UTH recorded 4,339 BID cases from early June to early November as compared to 3,711 in the same period in 2019.

The people arriving dead at the hospital died from a variety of causes, not only Covid-19. But according to Mulenga, the spike may be related to the pandemic, reflecting a failure of many residents to comply with Covid-19 prevention measures.

As of mid-December 2020, Zambia had a total of more than 18,400 Coronavirus cases, of which 367 ended in death, according to www.worldometers.info, an independent statistics portal. Covid-19 infections continue to rise, with many patients suffering from other diseases alongside Coronavirus.

The increased number of dead-on-arrival cases may be related to a growing tendency to self-medicate against Covid-19, in addition to failing to follow recommended preventive measures.

In hopes of fighting the virus, many Zambians are using drugs that were developed to combat other diseases, or are taking “various herbal concoctions,” Mulenga says. “This undermines medical efforts to control the virus and prevent new infections.”

Dr. Nyambe Mukubesa, a resident doctor at the Ministry of Health, confirms that assessment. “Many citizens are abusing malaria drugs and other medicines to treat Covid-19, without seeking medical advice,” he says. “So a surge in new cases is likely to remain a worry.”

Those views are confirmed by a survey of 1,035 Zambians carried out in March and April 2020 by Ipsos, the Paris-based market research and consulting firm. The survey shows widespread misconceptions about the virus. “Approximately half believe that Covid-19 can be prevented by drinking lemon juice and Vitamin C (54 %), or that a hot climate prevents the spread of the virus (49 %),” Ipsos says in a report titled “Responding to Covid-19: Highlights of a Survey in Zambia”.

In addition, the Ipsos report states: “One in four think Covid-19 can be cured with garlic (25 %), and sizeable minorities believe that Africans can’t get it (15%), or that drinking bleach cures it (9 %).

Some misconceptions cause needless anxiety. “I used to think that the virus only affects the elderly or those with underlying health ailments,” says Mercy Chilongo, 33, who had Covid-19 and recovered from it. “When I got Covid-19, I believed it was the end of me.”

In some cases, people have correct information about preventing infection, but cannot comply. According to Ipsos, social distancing may prove very difficult in a country where many people do not have separate rooms to isolate infected family members.

But many prevention measures are within the control of residents, who nonetheless are not using them. “The improper wearing of face masks, with citizens dropping the masks when talking or wearing their masks on their chins, or not observing physical distancing, is a battle we continue facing,” says Health Minister Chitalu Chilufya.

Derrick Silimina is a freelance journalist based in Lusaka.
derricksilimina@gmail.com

The Little Tuber of Wonders

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By Derrick Silimina

 

The humble cassava – a long tuberous starchy root that must be cooked properly to be eaten safely – is getting new respect as a driver of agricultural development.

Cassava is Zambia’s second largest agricultural crop, after maize. Unlike maize, however, it does not require a lot of water – a big advantage in the drought-prone country. So the government and development organisations have launched efforts to find new markets for the tuber, in hopes that more of it will be grown.

Those efforts are paying off, and the solution is coming from an unexpected source: manufacturers. While household demand for the vegetable has been stagnant, industries making a variety of products – from starches and flour to prepared foods and beer – have been signing up to buy large quantities of cassava.

One such firm is Premiercon Starch Company, a local start-up producing starches and flours. Among other products, it turns cassava into a starchy feedstock that it sells to mining companies, which in turn use it to process minerals. The company has contracted with the Kalumbila Copper Mine to supply 7,000 metric tonnes of industrial starch per year.

Zambian Breweries, a locally owned firm that brews lagers and is a major bottler of Coca-Cola, is another firm that has signed contracts to buy large lots of cassava. The company buys dried cassava chips from smallholder farmers, processes the chips into flour and fermented cassava starch, and uses those as ingredients of its Eagle Lager beer.

Zambian Breweries wants to ensure a continued supply of cassava. So it has recruited 5,000 farmers to grow on average one hectare of cassava each, with assurances that it will buy their produce.

From the farmers’ perspective, the newly opened industrial markets solve a big problem. For example, farmer Amos Samapaze of North-Western Province found he could not rely on selling cassava to nearby villages, as demand was unpredictable and poor roads often impeded access.

“I started cultivating cassava when I lived in Lukulu district in Western Province,” he says. “I owned oxen, an ox-cart and a plough. But the lack of market in the area discouraged me; the produce would sometimes go to waste.”

The new industrial demand, in contrast, encourages some farmers to expand their operations. “I heard about companies supporting cassava farmers and decided last year to buy five hectares and produce cassava,” says Cosmas Muleya, a father of five from Gwembe in Southern Province. “Since cassava is drought resistant, I believe it will do fine here. I expect to harvest more than 80 bags of 50 kilograms each.”

Similarly, cassava farmer Ruth Chilenga started by selling cassava at Lusaka’s Soweto market, but plans to expand both to export markets in neighbouring countries – mainly Angola and the Democratic Republic of the Congo – and to industrial markets in Zambia.

The new industrial demand for cassava has also created jobs for intermediaries between farmers and industrial manufacturers. Elizabeth Kunda buys dried cassava from farmers in north-western Zambia for resale in bulk to Zambian Breweries. Farmers can focus on producing cassava while she deals with the industrial clients, she says.

Derrick Silimina is a freelance journalist based in Lusaka. He focuses on Zambian agriculture and sustainability issues.
derrick.silimina@gmail.com

Travelling Close to Home

 10/12/2020

© stepmap.de

By Derrick Silimina 

 

The coronavirus crisis and its attendant travel restrictions are devastating the tourism sector worldwide, and Zambia’s industry is no exception.

Since travel restrictions entered into force in March 2020, Zambia’s flow of international arrivals has dwindled to virtually nothing. Many Zambian tour operators, hotel and restaurant owners, convention and festival organisers and sports event sponsors are facing very difficult times.

To replace some of the revenue lost as international visitors stay away, the Zambian industry is focusing on building a domestic tourism market. In October 2020, the first-ever Zambia travel conference was held at the Maramba River Lodge, four kilometres from Victoria Falls.

The conference in southern Zambia attracted over 150 tour operators and other industry members. It focused on how to encourage Zambians to travel within their own country. “It is very important that we meet like this and develop a plan to promote domestic tourism,” Eugene Mapuwo, the mayor of Livingstone told the meeting.

“We need to adopt online marketing strategies if the industry is to bounce back,” said Simone Layton, manager of the Shamba Lodge in Kitwe in north-central Zambia. “A lot of people in the industry are realising how devastating the pandemic has been to their business. Most weren’t prepared for it.”

The Zambia Tourism Agency, a government body, is developing tour packages geared to in-country travel, says marketing director Mwabashike ­Nkulukusa. “The agency is drafting a plan to help attract domestic travellers,” he says. “It must be an all-inclusive plan, including prices, products and how the packages will be promoted.”

Some delegates were sceptical of this strategy, pointing to insufficient disposable income in the domestic market. “We have tried to scale down our rates but local tourists still can’t afford to spend money for a holiday,” Walter Joe Syakalonga, director of Sigo Adventures and Tours, said in an interview.

Other industry members argued that the government should focus on easing their tax burdens. They cite requirements to pay 10 % to 15 % employment taxes on staff, plus 16 % value-added tax and a 1.5 % tourism levy. The levies add to their cost of doing business and discourage travel, they say.

So far, the government has helped somewhat by granting tour operators and hoteliers more time to pay income and value-added taxes. And officials are publicly encouraging domestic tourism. “I encourage all citizens to support the tourism industry while observing Covid-19 health guidelines,” Finance Minister Bwalya Ng’andu said in his 2021 national budget address.

Zambia in fact has a lot to offer tourists, wherever they come from. Aside from the famed Victoria Falls, Zambia is home to several other majestic falls and the mighty Zambezi River. Several national parks and game reserves offer opportunities for observing wildlife, whilst busy urban areas provide a window on the country’s diverse culture.

Zambia’s effort to boost domestic travel may provide ideas and best practices for tourism operators elsewhere. The worldwide tourism industry certainly needs all the help it can get. According to the World Travel and Tourism Council, an industry body, the global industry will shrink by up to 30 % in 2020, shedding some 50 million jobs.

Derrick Silimina is a freelance journalist based in Lusaka. He focuses on Zambian agriculture and sustainability issues.
derricksilimina@gmail.com

Chinese Proficiency Brings Job Opportunities to Zambians

A Chinese lecturer at a class at UNZA's Confucius Institute (Photos: Derrick Silimina)

 

 

By Derrick Silimina / 2020-12-09

 

Zambia's all-weather friendship with China, which dates back to over 50 years, has translated into massive progress in all sectors of the Southern African country's economic development.

 

As Africa's population increases, many young people are having trouble finding jobs that can improve their socio-economic situations. Owing to lack of formal jobs on the continent, many youths have to find an alternative in the informal sector in order to make ends meet. This traps them in a precarious employment situations, which contributes to a less than rosy transition to setting a foundation for their future.

Over 15 million young people in Africa, around 13.5 percent of the total labor force of 15-24 years, are facing unemployment and this rate is more than twice the unemployment rate of those aged 25 and over (6.1 percent), underlining that unemployment on the continent is hitting the younger generation hardest. Young women are even more severely affected, with an unemployment rate of 14.7 percent compared to 12.3 percent for young men, according to the Mo Ibrahim Foundation's 2019 Forum Report.

However, Zambia's all-weather friendship with China, which dates back to over 50 years, has translated into massive progress in all sectors of the Southern African country's economic development - be it in construction, health, education, and agriculture, among others.

Rising Chinese popularity

China's socio-economic, financial and cultural ties with Zambia have prompted the need for literacy in the Chinese language. While the Asian economic giant has expanded its exchanges in language and culture with African countries (and elsewhere) by supporting the establishment of Confucius Institutes and Confucius Classrooms, language education policies in Zambia has been proactive and receptive to the emerging needs and demands in Chinese language and culture.

Since China is a major trade partner and investor in Africa, many countries are encouraging their citizens to learn what is considered by many to be the language of the future. Zambia is no exception.

"Learning Chinese language motivates me to reach my goal in life. My aim, after I finish this course, is to become an accomplished interpreter knowing that the profession is currently in high demand among several Chinese companies in Zambia," said Armstrong Sezongo, a second-year Chinese language student at the Confucius Institute of the University of Zambia (UNZA).

Emelia Mwale, 36, an entrepreneur at Lusaka's Comesa Market, said the introduction of the Chinese language course in the country will open up opportunities for traders such as herself to do business effectively, as communication with her Chinese suppliers of goods is usually a challenge.

"I intend to enroll and study Chinese at the Confucius Institute at the UNZA. This language is vital and since we are in a global village, any commercial activity will be easier to undertake as I will be able to interact with my Chinese suppliers of goods effectively," said Mwale.

For this and other reasons, the growing popularity of the Chinese language among Zambian youths and the working population in the formal or informal sectors has inspired policymakers to include the language in the national curriculum for schools.

On May 7, 2019, the Zambian Government entered into an agreement with the Confucius Institute Headquarters of China to officially introduce the Chinese language as a taught and examinable subject at both junior and senior secondary school level.

The Ministry of Higher Education Permanent Secretary Mabvuto Sakala recently signed the agreement on behalf of the government at the Confucius Institute Headquarters in Beijing, China.

Meanwhile, Zambia's Ministry of General Education started implementing the teaching of Chinese as a foreign language in 10 pilot schools, which were carefully identified and selected in each province.

"The introduction of the Chinese language in the Zambian education system will not only strengthen the current bilateral relationship, but will also increase bilateral exchanges between the two countries," said Sakala.

Opportunities for the taking

Some stakeholders such as the Teaching Council of Zambia (TCZ) recently welcomed government's move, arguing that the introduction of the Chinese language should not scare Zambians, as it was a blessing to those students who have aspirations of studying in Chinese universities.

TCZ Registrar Ebby Mubanga said since Zambia is part of the global village, the introduction of the Chinese language is going to bring value to the country's education system.

 

Students at UNZA’s Confucius Institute during a Chinese lesson for 2020 academic year (Photos: Derrick Silimina)

Prior to this development, many Zambians who have expressed interest in learning Chinese language by virtue of their academic background while studying in China, have not only benefited from the country's academic excellence, but also its language which is spreading rapidly across the globe.

Locally, many students who graduated from the Confucius Institute and other Chinese schools in the country have earned themselves jobs as interpreters in key Chinese organizations, as well as at the Chinese Embassy in Lusaka.

For example, companies such as Hongsen Investment Ltd., a Chinese firm located in Lusaka's Makeni Industrial Area, which runs a manufacturing plant that recycles plastic bottles into finished plastic wares such as dishes, cups, hang sticks, sweeping brooms and buckets, has employed a Zambian youth Thandiwe Chaaba as its administration officer.

Thanks to her eloquence in the Chinese language, Chaaba has been running the company's local operations for over four years and also acts as a link between her employers, business clients and local people.

"I am so grateful to authorities who made it possible to introduce the learning of Chinese language in the country," said Chaaba.

Realizing the potential the Chinese language has in the local job market, Chaaba enrolled for a refresher course at the Confucius Institute in 2018, a move that earned her the current position after her graduation. Learning Chinese as a second or third language has been a global trend in the last few years. In Zambia, the rapid increase of Chinese investments and trade has spurred the move.

At UNZA's Confucius Institute, Chinese lessons for the 2020 academic year include level one to level six and students are taught from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. (daytime class) and 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. (evening class).

Confucius Institute Deputy Director Zhang Run said there are over 1,000 Chinese companies, both state-owned and private, who have investments in Zambia and the language gives most learners a boost when it comes to job offers.

"In fact, every day, these companies call for employees who can speak the Chinese language, which is an added advantage to doing administrative work, including human resources, secretarial work or even customer relations," said Zhang.

"The introduction of the Chinese language here is vital, as it will contribute to the development of Zambia and further enhance strong bilateral ties between our two countries, as well as help eliminate misunderstanding between the two peoples," said Zhang. 

Reporting from Zambia