Over 40,000 children under five years and below were immunised during the recently held child health week in Chilanga district.
Acting district Health Director Yvette Nampungwe says the planned target for the second quarter was to immunize 31, 260 children and give them vitamin A supplement but that the department managed to immunize 47,098 children.
She says 40,470 children between 12- 59 months were dewormed from the initial set target of 27,787 attributing the good performance to adequate support from government and cooperating partners.
The Acting DHD says, “Under the prevention of malaria programme the department managed to conduct indoor residual spraying for 20, 527 households in the district which was supported by global funds”.
She adds that under the same period under review 3,317 medical male circumcisions were performed in the district.
Among some of the challenges the department is facing is lack of a district hospital, limited accommodation for staff in rural areas such as Mwembeshi, Mundengwa and Munyeu among others.
Dr. Nampungwe notes that other challenges include inadequate staff in facilities especially midwives, clinic officers and general workers.
She adds that there is a need to deploy more medical staff, lobby for the construction of a district hospital, construct staff houses for health care workers in rural areas and improve the road network in the various wards within the district.
