Chronicle Editor
Sukulwenkosi Dube-Matutu, [email protected]
THE Government and its partners have delivered vital water quality testing kits to the Bulilima and Mangwe districts, Matabeleland South Province. The kits, designed for rapid arsenic water testing, will play a crucial role in regularly assessing the safety of water sources.
By identifying contamination, the aim is to prevent outbreaks of diseases like cholera and bilharzia. The initiative is part of the wider borehole drilling programme in rural areas, and it is being executed by GOAL, a non-governmental organisation, with support from the Enhanced Resilience for Vulnerable Households in Zimbabwe (ERVHIZ) initiative, as well as Irish Aid.
Expanding on this, the Government, in collaboration with the European Union, has introduced the ERVHIZ programme across six districts in the Matabeleland South province. Notably, Unicef and FAO are also key partners in the endeavour.
This comprehensive programme, funded at US$13,8 million, aims to bolster nutrition, establish early warning systems, and promote health by ensuring access to clean water, sanitation, and hygiene.
During a capacity-building event in Gwanda, Mr Patrick Mirirayi, the GOAL coordinator for Water and Sanitation Hygiene (WASH) and emergencies in Zimbabwe, said their role is to uplift the health standards of villagers and ensure they curb diseases.
He explained that their mission is to elevate health standards for villagers and contain the spread of diseases. As part of their commitment, GOAL collaborates with governmental bodies such as the Rural Infrastructure Development Authority (RIDA) and the Ministry of Health and Child Care to not only repair and rehabilitate water sources but also to construct piped water systems. The water testing kits are a strategic follow-up measure to ensure the ongoing safety of these water points, benefiting the local communities.
“As GOAL we are implementing the Enhanced Resilience for Vulnerable Households in Zimbabwe (ERHIVZ) project in Bulilima and Mangwe with support of Unicef, FAO and funding from the European Union. As part of the objectives of this particular project, we need to improve the quality of water that people have access to, especially drinking water. It’s therefore a requirement that the Ministry of Health and Child Care tests this water periodically so as to ensure that the water is safe for drinking and periodically testing for diarrhoeal diseases and cholera prevention and control.
“In that regard our partners came together to ensure that these kits are procured. In addition to donating these water test kits there is also a capacity training to equip our practitioners will skills to conduct the tests accordingly. We are training the trainers who will then cascade the training down to the sub district level staff. We are hoping that through this intervention we will also help to meet the targets that are set under the Ministry of Health and Child Care in terms of water quality monitoring,” he said.
The water testing kits, which can identify up to 40 water-contaminating chemicals, are complemented by comprehensive training for practitioners to conduct accurate tests. This training, cascaded down to sub-district level staff, aligns with the ministry’s goals for water quality monitoring.
Bulilima and Mangwe Wash committee chairperson, Mr Donnie Godonga said the intervention from the partners will help to augment Government’s borehole drilling programme. He said over the past three months Government has drilled 40 boreholes in Bulilima.
He said the district has about 1 296 functional boreholes while Mangwe has about 900. Mr Godonga said it is important for these water points to be tested periodically.
“The equipment that we have received today is so critical in the two districts of Bulilima and Mangwe. We are looking at the already drilled boreholes in the two districts. In Mangwe there are close to 900 boreholes and in Bulilima they are over 1 296 which are functional. From time to time we need to test the quality of the water but this hasn’t been happening. With
ERHVIZ coming in with this kind of support we are assured that all the boreholes that are being drilled and rehabilitated will be tested.
“This will help to ensure that villagers drink quality water. We have boreholes that Government is drilling all over the country and as we speak Bulilima has received 40 boreholes over the past three months and all those boreholes will need to have the quality of water tested.
“We also have piped water schemes that are being established under ERVHIZ, two in Bulilima and two in Mangwe. The water that will be coming from underground sources needs to be tested from time to time. This will enhance health within communities,” he said. — @DubeMatutu
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