Chronicle Editor
Thandeka Moyo-Ndlovu, Senior Health Reporter
ABOUT 884 diarrhoea cases have been recorded in Bulawayo since the beginning of 2022 with reports that erratic water supply by the local authority is putting many residents at risk of developing the water-borne disease.
Although council reports show that the cases have been decreasing since January, at one time there were more than 200 cases recorded in Pumula North suburb.
As a result of the acute water crisis, some suburbs have gone for more than a week with dry taps and to contain the crisis the council has reintroduced delivery of water using bowsers.
While residents are resorting to boreholes scattered around the city, council has warned that the water is not safe for drinking and must be treated before consumption.
Bacteriological quality of borehole water could not be guaranteed since the water was untreated and subject to contamination at any time from environmental factors like sewer overflows and bacteriological contaminated soil.
Residents were therefore advised to boil borehole water before drinking it or using it for domestic consumption.
Council reports show that in January, 174 diarrhoea cases were recorded but the monthly figures have been going down as they stand at 156 for June.
In February they went down to 152, further to 148 in May and the least cases were in April when 97 residents were treated for diarrhoea.
Cases however went up to 158 in May.
“There was a decrease in diarrhoea cases compared to the previous month where 158 people were treated for the water borne disease.
One dysentery case was reported during the month of June 2022.
The number of adverse events reported during the month is a serious public health concern that calls for the scaling up of Emergency Response Mechanisms (ERMs) by all pillars of the Epidemic Preparedness and Response team (EPR),” read the council report.
Contacted for comment, director for health services Dr Edwin Sibanda said council was working flat out to fix sewer pipes as a measure to avert diarrhoea in Bulawayo.
“We are currently working on all blocked sewer challenges to ensure that we address the challenge as a measure of averting diarrhoea in Bulawayo.
Our engineers are also working on the water situation as we know that it has been fuelling some of the cases we have been recording of late.
“In terms of case management, we have done so well because at one time we had recorded 200 cases just from one area which was way too much,” said Dr Sibanda.
“We have received support from the Ministry of Health and Child Care and our partners who include the World Health Organisation.
Residents are reminded never to consume any water which has a smell or colour without treatment.
“We are aware that the water shedding schedule is on and we cannot guarantee the quality of water that comes out after cuts as the pipes would have gone for more than 48 hours without running water,” he added.
-@thamamoe
Online Reporter