- ML Mazaba
Zambia National Public Health Institute, Lusaka, Zambia.
A foreword from the Editor
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Welcome to The Health Press Zambia (THP-Z) September 2018 issue. September 2018 saw 36 health awareness occasions celebrated globally. THP-Z has given special attention to World Rabies Day that was recognised on 28th September with the theme, Rabies: Share the message. Save a life. The editorial entitled ‘Ending dog-mediated human rabies by 2013: a Zambian perspective’ is dedicated to the awareness of rabies, a disease that can be prevented, given adequate attention to mitigation measures such as vaccination. Did you know that nearly 50% of deaths caused by human rabies occur in Africa? Read more about Zambia’s strategies to ending dog-mediated human rabies among its population.
On a personal note, I also wish to increase awareness on mental health as a global problem. Mental health disorders include depression, bipolar affective disorder, schizophrenia, and other psychoses, dementia, intellectual disabilities and developmental disorders including autism, with depression being in the lead. According to the WHO in 2017, more than 300 million people, 4.4% of the world’s population, suffer from depression. Let’s embrace this fact and support strategies to treat and prevent mental health.
Lined up for you are 3 other articles relating to different aspects of health.
Zambia reported an increase in the number of Tungiasis cases in some parts of the country in 2017. The neglected tropical disease caused by the infestation of the female sand flea Tunga penetrans which burrows into the skin causing localised itching and irritation. The disease is associated in most parts of the world with poor housing and low socio-economic status. Read about the outbreak that occurred in a peri-urban set up of the Njelemani area, Masaiti district of Copperbelt province in October 2017 in this issue.
Readers of THP-Z, allow me to introduce the Civil Registration & Vital Statistics program run by the Department of National Registration Passport and Citizenship (DNRPC) in the Ministry of Home Affairs. The program envisages improved registration of births, death and cause of death in Zambia. The THP-Z team had an opportunity to acquaint to a pilot a birth and death registration system using local leaders in the rural set up to capture birth and death data using registers. We are happy to note that the team has decided to give an update to our readers on the causes of death in our community as they increase their coverage of registration. In this issue are two inaugural articles; Rapid Population Growth and Health and Mortality and Causes of Death: 2017 Facts and Figures are both based on data collected through their program.
To authors, reviewers and editors, THP-Z has increased its readership as it continues to promote its publication on twitter@Healthpress and facebook@PressZambia. We invite you to visit our website for the monthly issues and more on http://znphi.co.zm/thehealthpress/.
Mazyanga Lucy Mazaba