LUSAKA, May 19 (Xinhua) -- As the COVID-19 pandemic continues to cause havoc around the world, some people in Zambia still do not have enough information on the disease.

From the time Zambia announced its first case on March 18, information on radio, television and newspapers have been flowing from both the government and its partners.

However, it is shocking that some citizens have literally no knowledge of the pandemic. The lack of adequate knowledge could be one of the reasons for lack of adherence to health guidelines such as wearing of face masks and social distancing, among others.

A talk with some residents of Ngombe compound, a sprawling shanty compound of Lusaka, the country's capital, reveals that if the battle against the pandemic is to be won, increased knowledge is vital.

The government and its partners need to step up efforts in providing information so that people can be aware of the disease.

Mwansa Chansa is a 30-year-old resident, who deals in second-hand clothing and is among residents of the city still ignorant about the disease.

"Is corona still around? Me I thought it finished a long time ago," she said when asked to comment about what she knows about the disease.

She said she has little time to listen to radio or watch television because by the time she goes home she was tired of her daily chores.

Her colleague, Monica, although expressing that she knows that there is coronavirus in the world, has very little understanding of what it is and how it is transmitted.

"To be honest, we don't have enough information about this disease. We don't know how it is transmitted but we have heard that it is killing a lot of people," she said.

Meanwhile, people are also providing conflicting views as well as myths.

Chief Government Spokesperson Dora Siliya said recently that there is need to increase awareness on the pandemic and called on all stakeholders, including the media to come up with various programs aimed at sensitizing the citizens.

It is for this reason that the government, working with the United Nations (UN) has established a COVID-19 Call Center.

UN Resident Coordinator Coumba Mar Gardio said when she visited the center recently that the fight against coronavirus is not only a fight against a virus but also a fight against misinformation.

She noted that the Center will go a long way in helping provide information to the public on the pandemic as well as help in correcting myths and misconceptions that people receive every day through myriad ways, she added.

According to her, it was vital for stakeholders to understand the importance of communication if the battle against the pandemic is to be won. Enditem

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