CPU on high alert as cholera strikes

MATABELELAND South provincial Civil Protection Unit (CPU) has activated its committee and all relevant departments as cholera outbreak hit Gwanda, Umzingwane and Beitbridge districts.

The CPU met on Monday to map out the way forward on how to curb the spread of this deadly disease, which has so far claimed four lives since the beginning of the year. The first death was reported at Mazunga area in Beitbridge last week, at a religious shrine.

The deceased woman was seeking spiritual healing to deliver her baby, after refusing to be attended to by health officials, unaware that she had contracted cholera. A total of four people have succumbed to cholera.

Meanwhile Gwanda district has recorded seven related deaths as of last week, Beitbridge five, while Umzingwane and Gwanda recorded one each. In Gwanda the first case was reported in Hlalani Kuhle (Garikai suburb), a fortnight ago.

Matabeleland South’s acting provincial medical director, Dr Andrew Muza, confirmed that the three districts are the worst affected in the province.

“We have recorded cholera deaths in three of our seven districts. The first death emanated from religious sector in Ward 14, Mazunga, in Beitbridge. The woman, who was pregnant, was taken to the religious shrine to help her to deliver. She was further referred to Mberengwa shrine. Unfortunately, she died along the way.

“Her body was taken to Gwanda Provincial Hospital mortuary, where a post-mortem was conducted and results confirmed that she was cholera positive,” explained Dr Muza.

Dr Muza assured that the other seven are under massive sanitization to curb the spread of cholera. The initiative is aimed at closing any new cases in the province.

“We have mobilised emergency medical supplies from the provincial office and deployed them to Beitbridge – the worst affected district. There is an ongoing surveillance in all the districts to close any new tap of this disease.

“A facility has been identified at Mazunga Clinic that will be used as the cholera treatment centre. A number of oral rehydration points will be established at the community level to improve access to care. In Mazunga the challenge is that people practise open defecation and they source water from open space,” said Dr Muza.

Gwanda District Development Co-ordinator, Nomathemba Ndlovu, said Government ministries are working round the clock to curb the spread of cholera.

“As Gwanda District, we are setting up a treatment centre at Phakama. Community Centre.

Sensitisation is currently in full swing and teams are moving around potential hotspots such as vending bays and taxi ranks to ensure that people’s health is secured,” said Ndlovu.

She called for a multi-sectoral approach and community engagement in fighting the scourge, while encouraging people and school children to avoid hand shaking.

The country is currently grappling with cholera with a severe cholera outbreak with the Ministry of Health and Child Care (MoHCC) reporting that cases are escalating on daily basis. People are encouraged to wash hands regularly and report to nearby hospital when they show any symptoms.