admin
Trust Freddy
Herald Correspondent
As villagers in the cholera hotspots of Manicaland accept the cholera vaccine, including members of apostolic sects, the number of new cases has dramatically fallen from around 60 a day to a combined 15 in the last two days of last week.
Most members of some apostolic sects previously declined to take modern medication, preferring prayers from their leaders, a stance that saw some lose their children to measles and Covid-19, as they refused to have them vaccinated.
That resulted in health workers deepening engagements with them to reconsider their doctrine, resulting in the high uptake of the cholera vaccine.
The oral cholera vaccination programme started on January 29 and as of February 16, 1 998 451 people out of a target of 2 306 955 in the cholera hotspots had received the oral vaccine.
Mr Lovejoy Mudzingwa, an environmental health practitioner at Zvipiripiri Rural Health Centre in Marange District, said out of the 401 cholera cases reported at the facility, approximately 170 came from the apostolic sects.
But a combination of the fear of death and a widespread public health campaign, had prompted members of apostolic sects in Manicaland to overcome their traditional reluctance to seek medical care.
“For now we can say we are winning because the decline shows that we are winning and they are actually coming here themselves. We had a meeting with the high priest of the Johane Marange Apostolic Church, and he did not object to the treatment of cholera cases. He did ask that those who come seeking medical help should be assisted,” said Mr Mudzingwa.
At the height of the cholera outbreak in December last year, there were over 30 cholera patients at Zvipiripiri Rural Health Centre, but as of last Saturday, there was only one patient who was admitted but had fully recovered and was ready to be discharged.
The Herald visited some of the families affected by the cholera outbreak to hear their views on the vaccination programme.
“No one in our church has been punished for seeking medical help,” said Mr Phillip Chiramba (56) from Torera Village who is a member of the Johane Marange Apostolic Church.
At one point, Mr Chiramba had 11 family members hospitalised at Zvipiripiri Rural Health Centre due to cholera.
He acknowledged that his church prohibits the use of modern medicines, but clarified that seeking medical help remains a personal choice.
Full story on www.herald.co.zw
“I have never personally sought medical help from a hospital, but I allowed my family to go when they became ill,” said Mr Chiramba. “I can’t speak to its (modern medication) effectiveness, but my family members can speak for themselves.”
All of his family members have since recovered, except for one of his wives who passed away before receiving medical treatment.
One of Mr Chiramba’s wives, Ms Tariro Konde (23), said: “I believe the help I received from the hospital saved my life. Perhaps, without it, I would have died just like my husband’s other wife.”
Some village health workers working with the Ministry of Health and Child Care are also members of apostolic sects, which made it easier to convince their fellow believers to take medication.
Ms Estery Masiraha, a member of the Johane Marange Apostolic Church who was treated at Chiwenga Rural Health Centre, said: “I believe that apostolic churches can help with many illnesses, but cholera is an exception. I will never forget the pain and suffering I went through. As soon as the oral cholera vaccine became available, I didn’t hesitate to take it.”
Ms Masiraha, who hails from Chinuwo Village in Buhera, is one of the few church members who have publicly acknowledged the benefits of hospital care.
Others are said to be seeking medical help secretly.
Mr Chisipo Chaibva, a village head in Buhera, believes that vaccination campaigns should be conducted in all areas, even when there is no disease outbreak.
“The majority of people were vaccinated but we still want some vaccines so that everyone can get vaccinated,” he said.
At Murambinda Growth Point, informal traders had resumed their work as usual and were happy to have received the vaccine from their workplaces.
Manicaland Medical Director Munyaradzi Mukuzunga said over 97 percent of the targeted population in the province had received the vaccine as of February 15.
“In terms of the district-level vaccination performance, Buhera had a coverage of about 94 percent of the targeted population, while Chimanimani, Chipinge, and Mutare City each had 100 percent coverage. Mutare rural district had 99,8 percent coverage, which is close to 100 percent.
“Overall, the province’s vaccination coverage was 97,6 percent. It’s important to note that the vaccine is an additional weapon in the fight against cholera, and we are happy to see such impressive results,” he said.
Manicaland has been the second hardest-hit by the cholera outbreak, eclipsed only by Harare Metropolitan, with an average of 60 cases per day at the peak of the outbreak.
However, the numbers have been steadily declining and on Thursday and Friday, a combined 15 cases were reported.
The Health Ministry could not vaccinate everybody with available stocks released by the World Health Organisation, so extended the numbers by limiting vaccination to one dose, whcih protects for six months, and vaccinated those in the hot spots, where infection could come from several sources not just a single family member.
Vaccination was seen as a strong extra tool to break chains of infection, along with better hygiene, better water supplies and more efficient waste disposal.
Online Reporter