Member of Parliament for Balaka North constituency, Tony Ngalande, has pledged to promote sanitation standards in markets in a quest to combat the cholera outbreak.
The parliamentarian made the remarks on Saturday after leading a multitude of people in a clean up exercise at Balaka district market.
He said he felt duty bound to take a leading role in the exercise considering that sanitation is Paramount in the fight against the pandemic.
He said: ”I felt it necessary to help in making sure that our markets are tidy at all times,and particularly to remind the people to always implore hygienic standards inorder to stay safe from the outbreak.”
Apart from conducting the clean up exercise, Ngalande also donated seven wheelbarrows to the traders to facilitate in keeping the market clean.
The lawmaker has since pledged to keep the exercise ongoing and will also extend it to other markets in the district.
Responding to concerns over lack of piped water in the markets,Ngalande said he will soon consult Southern Region Water Board and also the Ministry of Water and Sanitation to consider reconnecting the facilities with water inorder to effectively deal with the outbreak.
Meanwhile, Chairperson of Balaka district market, Haloon Moyenda Matipa has commended the parliamentarian for the gesture, citing that it has come at a right time and will enhance sanitation within the markets, arguing, Balaka district council is struggling to effectively remove refuse in the markets due to limited resources.
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