Abstract
Purpose is to illustrate that even with limited resources cholera can still be managed adequately to controllable levels which significantly reduce on the morbidity, mortality and excess drain on resources. Material and methods
 A situational analysis was made upon whose basis interventions were constituted. These included contact tracing, social marketing and behavioral intervention. Communities were engaged on cholera and their contribution towards its negative impact and how they could help ameliorate the situation.
 Active intervention was done on the stagnant pools of water and to kill the cholera bug.
 Results: There was significant reduction in cholera cases which came down to zero over the three years that the interventions were instituted.
 Conclusion: Even in resource-limited settings, cholera can still be managed adequately if worked on proactively.
Highlights
Cholera has become endemic in Zambia since the 1979/1978 outbreak
The Lusaka District Health Management team was tasked to deal with the cholera outbreak, upon which a cholera task force was formed
It was decided not to wait for the cholera outbreak but to start preparedness for cholera right from week 42,(Towards the end of October)which is before the onset of rains that are known to coincide with cholera epidemic (Luque Fernández et al 2009)
Summary
CholeraCholera has become endemic in Zambia since the 1979/1978 outbreak. Zambia had a major outbreakIn the 2009/2010 season, a total of 6804 cases of cholera were reported from Southern, Copperbelt, Northern and Lusaka provinces and this was aggravated by the heavy rain season. Cholera has become endemic in Zambia since the 1979/1978 outbreak. In the 2009/2010 season, a total of 6804 cases of cholera were reported from Southern, Copperbelt, Northern and Lusaka provinces and this was aggravated by the heavy rain season. In Lusaka, there was a total of 4464 cases and 73 deaths recorded from 1stJanuary to March 2010. The Lusaka District Health Management team was tasked to deal with the cholera outbreak, upon which a cholera task force was formed. By World Health Organization (WHO) definition, Zambia has been confirmed a cholera endemic country. “The working group developed the following definition of endemic cholera to guide control strategies: the occurrence of faecal cultureconfirmed cholera diarrhoea in a population in at least 3 of the past 5 years.” (WHO, 11 December 2009)
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