KITWE district has suspended the mass drug administration exercise against elephantiasis because the required medicine has run out.
According to district medical officer Dr Chikafuna Banda, at least 75 per cent of residents have received the drugs, but urged those who are yet to receive not to be skeptical about the exercise, as the drug was not harmful to human health.
“These issues of being skeptical about the drugs are unfounded. We are providing services to our people as our mandate. We can’t give drugs that are harmful to our people. I am here to state that we have suspended the exercise because we have run out of the drugs, though 75 per cent of Kitwe’s population has been captured,” he said.
“These drugs have no effect so people should not be skeptical but just seek medical attention. We want to ensure that Kitwe is free from diseases.”
And Dr Banda said his office did not publicise the exercise to avoid alarming the situation.
“What we did was not to alarm the situation. Some areas on the Copperbelt are not affected. For instance, Mpongwe is not affected and what could have happened if people heard and were not given the [drugs]?” he wondered.
Dr Banda said people should not be misled to think that those who took the drugs would be affected.
This was in reaction to some residents who have complained of body weakness after receiving the drugs.