India sends aid material, including medicines, to cholera-hit Zambia | India News – Business Standard

By Liam On Feb 17, 2024

India sent its second humanitarian aid to Zambia on Saturday amid the ongoing cholera outbreak in the country.

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar said the aid, which weighs around 3.5 tonnes, includes water purification supplies, chlorine tablets and other items.

“India is sending humanitarian aid to Zambia in the wake of the cholera outbreak. The aid, which weighs approximately 3.5 tonnes, consists of water purification supplies, chlorine tablets and ORS sachets. Was handed over to the Government of Zambia today by our High Commissioner,” EAM Jaishankar said in a post on

India sent the first consignment of humanitarian aid to Zambia via a commercial cargo plane on February 6 following the cholera outbreak in the country, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said.

The aid, which weighed around 3.5 tonnes, consisted of water purification supplies, chlorine tablets and hydration in the form of ORS sachets, the MEA said.

Meanwhile, the European Union (EU) has said it will give Zambia one million euros in response to the ongoing cholera epidemic, which is putting about 3.5 million people at risk.

The emergency funding will support humanitarian partners UNICEF and WHO in their efforts to meet immediate and critical health, water, hygiene and sanitation needs, the Directorate-General for European Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid Operations (ECHO) said. .

As of January 31, 2024, the cumulative number of cholera cases in the country stood at 16,526 with 613 deaths. There is a high mortality rate of almost 4 percent, with most cases and deaths reported in Lusaka province.

With the country’s rainy season expected to continue until May, further flooding due to heavy rains in Lusaka’s urban and suburban areas could reignite the spread of cholera cases.

Cholera, a bacterial disease, is usually spread through contaminated water. The disease causes severe diarrhea and dehydration.

First print: February 17, 2024 | 11:20 PM IST