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Sunday Mail Reporter
RAPID response teams have been deployed to Kariba, Mashonaland West province, to tackle a localised cholera outbreak that has resulted in one fatality and 20 confirmed infections in the Gache-Gache area.
The teams are expected to enforce rigorous hygiene practices, conduct comprehensive health education campaigns and implement crucial public health interventions within the affected communities to prevent further spread of the disease.
The Government has also enhanced collaboration with international organisations such as the World Health Organisation (WHO), the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) and Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) to combat the outbreak.
In an interview with The Sunday Mail, Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Health and Child Care Dr Aspect Maunganidze said: “The ministry confirms a localised cholera outbreak in the Gache-Gache area of Kariba district. This follows an unfortunate death of an individual due to acute diarrhoea. Our rapid response teams from Kariba district and the national level have since been mobilised and are actively engaged on the ground to address this situation.
“We are prioritising containment measures to prevent further spread of the outbreak. Our efforts include deploying health teams to enforce hygiene practices, conduct health education and implement necessary interventions in the community.
“Rest assured, the Government is mobilising all necessary resources to manage this emergency effectively.”
The Community Working Group on Health (CWGH), a civic organisation, has commended the Government’s bold interventions to address what could potentially be a major public health problem.
CWGH executive director Mr Itai Rusike said: “We want to see long-lasting and sustainable mechanisms to stop the current and future outbreaks of cholera in order that we regain our dignity and health.
“Cholera has already claimed an innocent life in Kariba district of Mashonaland West province.”
This latest outbreak follows the Government’s declaration in June 2024 that an earlier cholera outbreak, which affected all 10 provinces, had officially ended.
That outbreak saw 34 549 suspected cases, 4 217 confirmed cases and 718 deaths, with a case fatality rate of 2,1 percent.
The outbreak was contained through multi-faceted interventions, including a nationwide cholera vaccination campaign targeting high-risk communities.
Among these, Kariba was a priority, with around two million people aged one and above receiving doses of the oral cholera vaccine.
Online Reporter