WHO REGIONAL DIRECTOR FOR AFRICA, DR LUIS SAMBO, HAS NOTES THAT KNOWLEDGE AND AWARENESS OF CANCERS BY INDIVIDUALS AND COMMUNITIES CAN PLAY A CRUCIAL ROLE IN THE PREVENTION, DETECTION AND TREATMENT OF THE DISEASE.

WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION (WHO) REGIONAL DIRECTOR FOR AFRICA, DR LUIS SAMBO, HAS NOTED THAT KNOWLEDGE AND AWARENESS OF CANCERS BY INDIVIDUALS AND COMMUNITIES CAN PLAY A CRUCIAL ROLE IN THE PREVENTION, DETECTION AND TREATMENT OF THE DISEASE. 

DR SAMBO SAID IN A MESSAGE RELEASED IN BRAZZAVILLE ON FRIDAY TO MARK WORLD CANCER DAY STATING THAT THE CANCER EPIDEMIC IN AFRICA IS ESCALATING, AND REVERSING THIS TREND IS FEASIBLE IF GOVERNMENTS, COMMUNITIES PARTNERS JOIN EFFORTS TO INCREASE KNOWLEDGE ABOUT THE DISEASE,  AND REDUCE ITS RISK FACTORS BY USING PREVENTION AND EARLY DETECTION”, 

WORLD CANCER DAY WAS BEING OBSERVED ON 4 FEBRUARY THIS YEAR UNDER THE THEME "CANCER CAN BE PREVENTED“

DR SAMBO SAID EXPLAINING THE SPECIFIC ROLE OF KNOWLEDGE AND EDUCATION IN CANCER PREVENTION AND DETECTION IS CARDINAL.

HE HAS POINTED OUT THAT GOOD KNOWLEDGE OF CANCER PREVENTION WILL HELP TO REDUCE CONTACT WITH CANCER-CAUSING AGENTS IN THE HOME AND IN THE WORKPLACE; INCREASE PROTECTION AGAINST HARMFUL ULTRAVIOLET RADIATION (UV), FOSTER HEALTHY EATING HABITS AND REGULAR PHYSICAL ACTIVITY AND CONTRIBUTE TO THE PREVENTION OF INFECTIONS.

THE REGIONAL DIRECTOR  STRESSED THAT CANCER COULD  ALSO BE COMBATED THROUGH EDUCATION OF INDIVIDUALS, PARTICULARLY CHILDREN AND TEENAGERS, AND BY SCREENING FOR THE MOST COMMON FORMS OF CANCER IN OUR REGION CANCER OF THE BREAST, CERVIX AND THE UTERUS; PROSTATE AND DIGESTIVE TRACT CANCERS, AND WORK-RELATED CANCERS.

DR SAMBO CALLED ON GOVERNMENTS, INTERNATIONAL AGENCIES AND PARTNERS TO IMBIBE AND APPLY COST- EFFECTIVE INTERVENTIONS TO ADDRESS CANCERS AT INDIVIDUAL AND COMMUNITY LEVELS. 

OTHER SPECIFIC ACTIONS RECOMMENDED BY DR SAMBO INCLUDE: PUBLIC AWARENESS TO SENSITIZE POPULATIONS ON THE IMPORTANCE OF HEALTHY DIET AND PHYSICAL ACTIVITY; BUILDING CAPACITY FOR CANCER DETECTION PREVENTION AND TREATMENT; IMPLEMENTING AND SCALING UP EARLY DETECTION INTERVENTIONS, AND PROVIDING ADEQUATE TREATMENT INCLUDING PAYING ATTENTION TO PATIENTS’ WELLNESS AND SPIRITUAL SUPPORT.

THE REGIONAL DIRECTOR ALSO URGED ALL MEMBERS OF SOCIETY TO PROTECT THEIR OWN HEALTH BY PREVENTING CANCER THROUGH SEEKING THE RIGHT INFORMATION ON CANCER RISK FACTORS AND AVOIDING OCCUPATIONAL AND ENVIRONMENT HAZARDS.                                                                             

HE PLEDGED THAT WHO WOULD CONTINUE TO SUPPORT COUNTRIES AND COLLABORATE WITH INTERNATIONAL AND NATIONAL PARTNERS TO PROMOTE POLICIES AND INTERVENTIONS THAT PROTECT INDIVIDUALS AND COMMUNITIES FROM CANCER.

WHO ESTIMATES THAT IN 2008, THERE WERE 681,000 NEW CASES OF CANCER IN AFRICA, AND 512,000 PEOPLE DIED FROM THE DISEASE AND IT IS PROJECTED THAT BY 2030, THE FIGURES WILL RISE TO 1.6 MILLION NEW CASES WITH 1.2 MILLION DEATHS.

THIS IS MAINLY DUE TO RAPID URBANIZATION, UNHEALTHY WORK ENVIRONMENTS, AND CHILD LABOUR WHICH INCREASE EXPOSURE TO CANCER-CAUSING FACTORS. THE SITUATION IS MADE WORSE BY THE HIGH NUMBER OF INFECTION-RELATED CANCERS AMONG HIV/AIDS PATIENTS AS WELL AS THE HIGH COSTS OF MODERN CANCER TREATMENT WHICH MOST AFRICAN PATIENTS CANNOT AFFORD.

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THE ZAMBIAN 2011-2015 SIXTH NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT PLAN PROJECTED RESOURCE ESTIMATED AT 132 TRILLION KWACHA.

PRESIDENT RUPIAH BANDA HAS TODAY LAUNCHED THE 2011-2015 SIXTH NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT PLAN WITH THE PROJECTED RESOURCE ENVELOPE FOR THE PLAN ESTIMATED AT 132 TRILLION KWACHA.
ABOUT 103 TRILLION KWACHA OF THE TOTAL AMOUNT WILL BE MET USING DOMESTIC RESOURCES.
SPEAKING DURING THE LAUNCH OF THE PLAN WHICH HAS TAKEN OVER FROM THE FIFTH NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT PLAN WHICH RAN FROM 2006 TO 2010, PRESIDENT BANDA SAID APART FROM THE PROJECTED AMOUNT, THE PLAN’S IMPLEMENTATION IS EXPECTED TO BE HELPED BY EXTERNAL FINANCING AT A TOTAL COST OF 29 TRILLION KWACHA OR 22 PERCENT WITH A PRUDENT AMOUNT OF EXTERNAL BORROWING.
PRESIDENT BANDA HOWEVER NOTED THAT THERE IS NEED FOR FURTHER STRENGTHENING OF DOMESTIC REVENUE COLLECTIONS AND PUBLIC EXPENDITURE OF WHICH THE MINISTRY OF FINANCE AND NATIONAL PLANNING MUST COME UP WITH MEASURES AIMED AT ADEQUATE REVENUE COLLECTION AND STRENGTHENING PUBLIC EXPENDITURE.IN THE SAME VEIN, PRESIDENT BANDA HAS STATED THAT THE PRIVATE SECTOR WILL REMAIN THE ENGINE OF GROWTH AND IMPLEMENTATION OF THE PLAN AS IT WAS WITH THE FNDP.
HE SAID THERE IS THEREFORE NEED FOR THE PRIVATE SECTOR TO ACTIVELY PARTICIPATE IN THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE PLAN BY LEADING THE GROWTH ADDING THAT GOVERNMENT WILL PROVIDE THE ATMOSPHERE.INSERT…….THE PRIVATE
THE HEAD OF STATE ALSO POINTED OUT THAT DURING THE PERIOD OF THE SNDP THE PROPORTION OF PEOPLE LIVING IN EXTREME POVERTY IS EXPECTED TO DECLINE FROM 37 PERCENT TO 29 PERCENT IN 2015 WHILE RURAL POVERTY IS EXPECTED TO DECLINE FROM 77 PERCENT IN 2006 TO 50 PERCENT IN 2025.
PRESIDENT BANDA HAS STATED THAT THE SNDP WILL ALSO CONTINUE TO ADDRESS THE STRUCTURAL BOTTLENECKS IN THE ECONOMY IN ORDER TO ACCELERATE SOCIO-ECONOMIC TRANSFORMATION FOR PROSPERITY.

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LEADERSHIP ROW EMERGES IN THE ALLIED WORKERS UNION OF ZAMBIA A NEWLY FORMED AND SPLINTER MINERS UNION BASED IN NORTHWESTERN ZAMBIA

A LEADERSHIP ROW HAS EMERGED IN THE ALLIED WORKERS UNION OF ZAMBIA A NEWLY FORMED AND SPLINTER MINERS UNION BASED IN NORTHWESTERN ZAMBIA IN WHICH SOME EXECUTIVE MEMBERS SLAPPED A SUSPENSION ON ITS INTERIM PRESIDENT FOR BAD CONDUCT LIKELY TO BRING THE NAME OF THE MOVEMENT INTO DISREPUTE.
MEDIA REPORTS SAID THAT MR THOMAS MPASHI THE INTERIM LEADER HAS BEEN SUSPENDED FROM HIS DUTIES WITH IMMEDIATE EFFECT FOR WHAT HAS BEEN DESCRIBED AS BAD CONDUCT UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE.
ACCORDING TO REPORTS, DIFFERENCES DEEPENED IN THE NEWLY FORMED CONSOLIDATED MINERS AND ALLIED WORKERS UNION OF ZAMBIA LEADING TO THE SUSPENSION OF MR MPASHI, WHO HAD EARLIER DROPPED AND REPLACED THEM WITH A NEW TEAM FOR BEING NON MINERS.
MR MPASHI SAID SEVEN MEMBERS WERE DROPPED FOLLOWING RECENT EVENTS IN THE LABOUR MOVEMENT SUGGESTING THAT A UNION LEADER MUST ALSO BE EMPLOYED IN THE SAME INDUSTRY IN WHICH HE REPRESENTED OTHER MEMBERS.
MR MPASHI SAID THAT “THIS CHANGE HAS COME WITH THE NEW ‘ACT’ WHICH STATES THAT ONLY (ELIGIBLE) EMPLOYEES IN THE MINES CAN FORM A TRADE UNION TO REPRESENT FELLOW MINERS.”
INITIALLY, CMAWUZ ERRED BY DRAFTING NON MINERS INTO ITS NATIONAL EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE BUT REALIZED THE PREDICAMENT AND WANTED TO CORRECT THE ANOMALY.

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VEDANTA RESOURCES PLC, THE LONDON LISTED COPPER MINER RAISED COPPER OUTPUT TO 21%

VEDANTA RESOURCES PLC, THE LONDON LISTED COPPER MINER RAISED COPPER OUTPUT TO 21% AT ITS ZAMBIAN UNIT DURING THE THIRD QUARTER OF LAST YEAR ON ACCOUNT OF INCREASED PRODUCTION OF THE METAL AT SOME OF ITS OPERATIONS IN THE SOUTHERN AFRICAN NATION.
VEDANTA RESOURCES SAID IN ITS REPORT THAT COPPER OUTPUT INCREASED SIGNIFICANTLY TO 21% DURING THE QUARTER UNDER REVIEW TO 34,000 METRIC TONS FROM 28,000 REALISED DURING THE SIMILAR PERIOD A YEAR EARLIER.
THE JUMP IN PRODUCTION OF COPPER, ZAMBIA’S MAIN REVENUE EARNER, WAS BECAUSE OF IMPROVED OPERATIONS AT ITS NCHANGA OPERATIONS WHERE IT OPERATES, AMONG OTHERS, A SMELTER, OPEN PIT AND UNDERGROUND MINING WORKS.
THE REPORT SAID THAT "THIS WAS PRIMARILY ON ACCOUNT OF IMPROVEMENT AT THE NCHANGA OPERATIONS WITH HIGHER PRODUCTION AT THE OPEN PITS AND HIGHER THROUGHPUT AT THE TAILINGS LEACH OPERATIONS.”
IT IS VEDANTA RESOURCES, ZAMBIA’S LEADING COPPER PRODUCER’S PLAN TO CONTINUE WORKING INTENSELY IN IMPROVING PRODUCTION OF THE COUNTRY’S MUCH PRIZED METAL, COPPER THROUGH EFFICIENT OPERATIONS ACROSS ALL UNITS.

IT SAID THAT THE COMPANY WILL CONTINUE TO WORK ON FURTHER IMPROVING OPERATIONAL EFFICIENCIES ACROSS ALL OPERATIONS."
INTEGRATED COPPER PRODUCTION DURING THE NINE MONTH PERIOD WAS 100,000 TONNES, 8% HIGHER THAN THE CORRESPONDING PRIOR PERIOD. DURING THE SAME PERIOD, TOTAL COPPER PRODUCTION INCLUDING CUSTOM OPERATIONS WAS 169,000 TONNES.
MINED METAL PRODUCTION FOR THE THIRD QUARTER WAS UP 18% TO 26,000 TONNES YEAR ON YEAR AND ROSE 22% IN THE NINE-MONTH PERIOD TO 73,000

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ELECTORAL PLAYING FILED SHOULD BE LEVELLED AHEAD OF THIS YEAR'S ELECTIONS CHARGES CCZ

THE COUNCIL OF CHURCHES IN ZAMBIA HAS SUBMITTED TO THE ZAMBIAN PARLIAMENT THAT THE ZAMBIAN ELECTORAL PLAYING FIELD SHOULD BE LEVELLED AHEAD OF THE 2011 ELECTIONS.

THE COUNCIL ALSO SUBMITTED THAT THE ELECTORAL RULES OF ENGAGEMENT SHOULD BE AGREED BEFORE HAND TO AVOID OTHER POLITICAL PLAYERS COMPLAINING.

APPEARING BEFORE THE LEGAL AFFAIRS COMMITTEE OF PARLIAMENT THIS YEAR THE SOCIAL AND ECONOMIC JUSTICE PROGRAMME OF CCZ SUBMITTED THAT THE ELECTORAL CODE OF CONDUCT SHOULD CLEARLY ASSIGN ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES ON WHO WAS IN CHARGE OF ADMINISTERING THE ELECTION.

THE PROGRAMME ALSO SUBMITTED THAT THE ELECTORAL CODE OF CONDUCT SHOULD CLEARLY STIPULATE THE PUNITIVE MEASURES THAT WOULD BE ADMINISTERED IN THE EVENT THAT ONE POLITICAL PARTY BROKE THE ELECTORAL CODE.

REPRESENTING THE CCZ TEAM, THE HEAD OF PROGRAMMES, ABRAHAM CHIKASA TOLD THE PARLIAMENTARY COMMITTEE THAT CCZ HAD OBSERVED ABUSE OF THE CODE BY MANY POLITICAL PARTIES ESPECIALLY THE RULING PARTY.

MR CHIKASA STATED THAT IT IS VERY DIFFICULT TO IMPLEMENT THE CODE IN AN ENVIRONMENT WHERE THE CIVIL SERVICE IS HIGHLY AND OPENLY POLITICISED

HE EXPLAINED THAT SOME PERMANENT SECRETARIES, DISTRICT COMMISSIONERS AND POLICE OFFICERS ABUSE THEIR OFFICES FOR CAMPAIGN PURPOSES HENCE THERE IS NEED FOR CITIZENS TO BE SENSITISED ON HOW TO APPLY CITIZEN’S ARREST ON THOSE WHO BREACH THE ELECTORAL CODE OF CONDUCT

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ZAMBIAN GOVERNMENT URGED TO COME UP WITH FINANCIAL MEASURES TO BRING STABILITY TO THE KWACHA

A FINANCIAL ANALYST HAS CALLED ON THE GOVERNMENT TO PUT UP MEASURES WHICH WILL WHICH WILL ENSURE STABILITY OF THE KWACHA AS THE COPPER PRICES SHOT UP AND AVOID THE CURRENCY’S VOLATILITY.

SPEAKING IN AN INTERVIEW WITH RADIO PHOENIX FINANCIAL ANALYST MAMBO HAMAUNDU SAYS THE VOLATILITY OF THE KWACHA WILL BRING UNCERTAINTY IN THE MINDS OF THE BUSINESS MEN AND WOMEN WHICH IS LIKELY TO HAVE AN EFFECT ON THE ECONOMY.

MR HAMAUNDU HAS NOTED THAT LATELY THE KWACHA HAS NOT BEEN STABLE DESPITE THE COPPER PRICES BEING HIGH WHICH HAS LEFT MANY BUSINESS MEN AND WOMEN IN THE FINANCIAL SECTOR WONDERING WHAT HAS GONE WRONG AND THE NEXT STEPS TO TAKE IN ENSURING THAT THEIR BUSINESS ARE SAFE FROM THE VOLATILITY OF THE KWACHA.

HE HAS OBSERVED THE ECONOMY OF THE COUNTRY PARTLY DEPENDS ON THE STABILITY OF THE CURRENCY IN THE SENSE THAT BUSINESS MEN AND WOMEN ARE SKEPTICAL TO INVEST IN AN ECONOMY WITH A VOLATILE CURRENCY.

MR HAMAUNDU HAS STATED THAT GOVERNMENT MUST QUICKLY FIND SOLUTIONS TO THE VOLATILE CURRENCY AND BRING STABILITY TO THE FINANCIAL SECTOR ESPECIALLY NOW THAT THE COPPER PRICES ARE HIGHER THEN BEFORE.

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MOVEMENT FOR MULTI-PARTY DEMOCRACY PRESIDENTIAL ASPIRANT NASON MSONI HAS CHARGED THAT PRESIDENT BANDA IS A MISTAKE THE MMD SHOULD CORRECT BEFORE IT IS TOO LATE

MOVEMENT FOR MULTI-PARTY DEMOCRACY PRESIDENTIAL ASPIRANT NASON MSONI HAS CHARGED THAT PRESIDENT BANDA IS A MISTAKE THE MMD SHOULD CORRECT BEFORE IT IS TOO LATE

ACCORDING TO A PRESS STATEMENT MADE AVAILABLE TODAY TO RADIO PHOENIX MR. MSONI SAYS MEMBERS SHOULD BE VERY HONEST WITH PRESIDENT BANDA BY TELLING HIM THE TRUTH AT ALL TIMES AS IT IS IN HIS INTEREST THAT THE MMD RETAINS POLITICAL POWER BUT WITH SOMEBODY ELSE WHO CAN WIN THE FORTHCOMING ELECTIONS.

HE HAS STRESSED OUT THAT CHANGE HAS BECOME INEVITABLE IN ZAMBIA AND THE QUICKER THIS SINKS IN THE BETTER FOR HIM AND THE PARTY ADDING THAT IT WOULD BE EXTREMELY SAD TO SEE PRESIDENT BANDA BEING DRIVEN INTO POLITICAL EXILE CONSIDERING HIS ADVANCED AGE AFTER LOSING THE FORTHCOMING ELECTIONS.

MR MSONI SAYS FOR  PRESIDENT BANDA TO INSIST THAT HE SHOULD BE A FLAG BEARER OF MMD FOR THE PARTY IN THE FORTHCOMING GENERAL ELECTIONS IS ACTUALLY RISKING HIS OWN PROSPECTS OF A PEACEFUL AND BETTER RETIREMENT AFTER LEAVING GOVERNMENT.

HE SAYS HE HAS BEEN VINDICATED THAT MANY DISTINGUISHED ZAMBIANS HAVE BY NOW TOLD PRESIDENT BANDA NOT TO RE-CONTEST THE 2011 ELECTIONS BUT FALSEHOODS BEING PEDDLED BY WORKS AND SUPPLY MINISTER MIKE MULONGOTI AS HE IS QUOTED IN THE MEDIA HAVING SAID THAT THE MMD IS BECOMING POPULAR ON THE COPPERBELT IS SELF DELUSION AND MISLEADING.

MR MSONI SAYS PEOPLE CLOSE TO PRESIDENT BANDA WHO ARE NOT TELLING HIM THE TRUTH ARE HIS TRUE ENEMIES’ AS THEY’RE HELL BENT ON BENEFITING ON HIS POLITICAL MISFORTUNE HENCE HE SHOULD RE-THINK HIS POLITICAL AMBITION AGAIN BEFORE IT IS TOO LATE.

PUBLISHED BY AUGUSTINE M SICHULA