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Conrad Mupesa Mashonaland West Bureau
Kariba, which is battling to contain a cholera outbreak, is set to host two public events this weekend despite the Ministry of Health and Child Care having issued a moratorium on such events to try and contain it spreading.
The moratorium has already caused the cancellation of the much-publicised Provincial Government Departments Sports and Wellness Games that were slated for this week until Saturday and the postponement of Zimpaper’s Platinum FM’s much-awaited Nyaminyami Festival that was slated for Lake Harvest sports club.
However, a musical festival headlined by Holy Ten set for Friday is expected to go on while the Municipality of Kariba will be hosting its Blue November commemoration at Nyamhunga Stadium on Saturday where men from the town have been invited to participate in the men’s health month commemoration.
The commemorations will feature sport and prostate cancer awareness activities, which is also a potential cholera time bomb.
Kariba district medical director Dr Godwin Muza professed ignorance over Holy Ten’s scheduled performance and declined to comment on why his performance had been given a green light despite the efforts to combat the crisis.
“I was not consulted on this matter, hence I am not in a position to comment,” Dr Muza said.
Due to his popularity, Holy Ten’s performance is likely to draw hundreds of musical lovers, particularly from the urban and rural parts of the Kariba.
Kariba has been battling to contain the spread of cholera which broke out in Gatshegatshe, which is a spitting distance from the resort town of Kariba.
The spread of the disease has been worsened by inter-travels between Kariba and Gatshegatshe that occur daily as people visit the rural side to access cheap and abundant fish and kapenta while fishermen visit the urban side for supplies that include fuel.
The deadly pandemic has claimed one life and left 100 positive. On Wednesday, two more new suspected cases were reported in the Gatshegatshe area with officials fearing that this may expose Kariba town to the pandemic.
During the previous 18-month pandemic, the town battled the disease which killed at least 700 people countrywide.
In an interview on Monday, Provincial Medical Director, Dr Celestino Dhege warned that gatherings including musical events and sports threaten the town.
“We need at least two weeks after recoding zero cases for us to assess if we can give a go-ahead for such gatherings as musical festivals,” he said.
“We are targeting to contain and eradicate the pandemic and we should not allow activities that threaten any scientific measures in place.”
Online Reporter