All diarrhoea patients get waiver on payments

Nqobile Tshili, Chronicle Reporter
THE Bulawayo City Council (BCC) has exempted all residents with diarrhoea from paying user fees at the local authority’s clinics as long as water shedding subsists.

Previously, the waiver only applied to Luveve residents suffering from the disease. The local authority warned that the water crisis could worsen in coming months.

Residents are getting tap water one day in a week. The city is grappling with a typhoid and dysentery outbreak but authorities say they are yet to ascertain the cause.

Local Government and Public Works Minister July Moyo told our sister paper, Sunday News at the weekend that the city’s water had faeces which were beyond the standards that are allowed by the Standards Association of Zimbabwe. But presenting before the Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Local Government, Public Works and National Housing Thematic Committee on Peace and Security, council officials said they are yet to ascertain the source of water contamination.

The Senator Chief Ngungumbane-led committees were on a mission to establish what has led to the outbreak of typhoid and dysentery in the city and how the local authority was dealing with the situation.

Directors of Engineering Services Engineer Simela Dube and Health Services Dr Edwin Sibanda told the committee about the Bulawayo water crisis and how it has led to the outbreak.

Dr Sibanda said while council had identified typhoid and dysentery as the diseases that have claimed 13 lives it was still to establish the source of the contamination.

“The disease is mainly affecting females. As council we have taken a position to put a waiver on user fees on all those who present with diarrhoea at council clinics during the water shedding period. This is to encourage residents to visit clinics when they experience diarrhoea and prevent outbreaks,” said Dr Sibanda.

He said council was concerned that some patients were taking the diarrhoea outbreak lightly as was noted in Lobengula suburb where only two people from an affected 60 visited the clinic.

Dr Sibanda said exemption of Luveve suburb from water shedding might not be sustained due to the city’s water crisis.

Eng Dube said the diarrhoea outbreak was largely concentrated in areas near Mafakela and Luveve primary schools.

He said council has mapped the area and observed that there might have been a sewage pipe burst in the areas which could have leaked into water pipes.

Eng Dube said the city’s future plan is to lay water pipes in front of houses as opposed to the prevailing situation where the pipes run side by side with sewage ones.

He said if there was no cyclone in the coming rainy season, the city will face another crisis next year.

Eng Dube said Government through the Zimbabwe National Water Authority (Zinwa) should speed up the process of delivering bulk water to Bulawayo.

“We are looking at a situation that because we are in winter there is less usage of water. We can cope with providing 120 megalitres per day. But come summer when water usage increases, it would be difficult to sustain the 120M/L per day.

“There is an urgent need to increase bulk water provision for the city,” said Eng Dube.

He said council is still pursuing recycling of Khami Dam water as perennial droughts due to climate change demand that council finds alternative water sources for the city.

Eng Dube said Zinwa should complete the Epping Forest project as one of the quick wins for the city.

Legislators demanded to know why council had come up with a US$77 million budget to address the city water crisis while Government’s consultant had limited the figure to US$8 million.

The council authorities said Government’s consultant provided a short-term solution which entailed emptying of the dams while their position is medium and long term.

Chief Ngungumbane encouraged council to submit reports detailing what they see as the permanent solution for the city’s water crisis and how it differs from a report presented by Government.

Vungu MP Cde Omega Sibanda said legislators would take up the council issues as they need attention while thanking the local authority for being hands-on. — @nqotshili.