THE CHOLERA THREAT. . . 28 confirmed, 96 suspected

Talent Gore

THE City of Harare has now recorded 28 confirmed and 96 suspected cholera cases.

It revealed that 11 people are admitted at the Beatrice Infectious Diseases Hospital.

Speaking at a service delivery Council meeting yesterday, Harare City Council’s health services manager, Richard Chigerwe, said there was a need for nurses to be remunerated well.

“We need to keep our workers motivated, especially during the cholera outbreak,” he said.

“If we keep our workers motivated, we might even reduce the number of fatalities.

“So, we are proposing that nurses be given US$5 per day.

“It may sound costly, but I assure you it will reduce the number of fatalities.”

Chigerwe said the key drivers of cholera were poor sanitation and contaminated water sources.

Harare Mayor, Jacob Mafume, yesterday received another petition from residents on the cholera outbreak.

Thousands of Harare residents have petitioned Council for not attending to sewer bursts and lack of municipal water.

Mafume said the relevant departments would look into the matter.

“I will refer this petition to the relevant department to look into the matter,” he said.

Mabvuku residents also gave Council a 14-day ultimatum to clear dumpsites and adhere to the refuse collection schedule in Ward 19.

In a letter to Council, the residents said failure to adhere to the refuse collection schedule posed a serious health risk.

“We have noted with grave concern the proliferation of waste dumpsites in and around Ward 19 in Mabvuku,” reads the letter.

“Notwithstanding the fact the City of Harare published a refuse collection schedule, the City has failed and neglected to adhere to the schedule as published.

“The failure by the council to collect refuse poses a serious health hazard to residents of these areas and is a dereliction of Council’s obligation to collect refuse as provided for by the Urban Councils Act.”

The residents said in the event that the Council failed to adhere to their demands, there was an instruction to institute legal proceedings against the local authority.