adminNorman Muchemwa
Zimbabwe experienced the deadliest cholera epidemic between August 2008 and June 2009, with over 1 000 lives claimed and nearly 98 000 cases recorded.
The deadly disease started in Chitungwiza and spread across the whole country at an unprecedented level, before wreaking havoc beyond the country’s borders.
In January this year, five people from Chegutu succumbed to cholera, but the disease was later contained after intervention from the Ministry of Health and Child Care.
With that sad 2008 chapter still fresh in the minds of many people, the country has once again been hit with smidgens of the disease.
Twenty-nine cases of cholera have been recorded in the past two weeks in Chitungwiza and Harare.
An epidemiology and surveillance report by the Ministry of Health and Child Care shows that as of April 17 2018, 29 cases were on the line list. There were 17 suspected cases, 10 confirmed, two probable and among these, three deaths.
A 24-year-old male from Stoneridge succumbed to the disease at Chitungwiza Central Hospital after being admitted.
A few days later, his father also succumbed to the same disease.
The continued resurfacing of the deadly disease has been attributed to poor service delivery from the MDC-T run local authorities.
Most parts of Harare and Chitungwiza have no running water. Burst sewer pipes are a common sight in some areas.
Chitungwiza has no permanent water supply system and relies on supplies from Harare City Council, which the City Fathers have since admitted is not fit for human consumption.
Uncollected garbage piles are a permanent feature in almost every high-density suburb of Harare and Chitungwiza, making the two cities fertile breeding ground for the bacteria which causes cholera.
According to medical experts, cholera is an acute diarrhoeal infection caused by the bacterium Vibrio cholerae.
Human excreta
Humans are the only relevant reservoir, even though Vibrios can survive for a long time in coastal waters contaminated by human excreta.
The disease is contracted by consuming food or water contaminated with the faecal bacteria Vibrio cholerae.
Consumption of contaminated water and food results in infection.
Cholera causes acute dehydration as a result of rapid loss of body fluids and that why the disease can be deadly within hours if a patient is not treated.
Director Epidemiology and Disease Control in the Ministry of Health and Child Care Dr Portia Manangazira said the ministry, working in partnership with some international organisations, had managed to put the outbreak under check.
“With the help of the World Health Organisation at a global scale and local level support from Unicef, Oxfam and Medecins Sans Frontiers (MSF), who are assisting us with medicine and equipment to fight the disease, we have managed to contain the spread of cholera,” she said.
“Unicef activated the standby contingency partner, Oxfam, to respond to the outbreak with distribution of kits to fight the disease and they supported the Initial Multi-Sectoral Rapid Assessment in Stoneridge.
“Unicef is also providing bulk water to affected areas.”
In Chitungwiza, the MSF helped set up a camp at St Mary’s Clinic where all suspected cases of cholera are referred.
The area is said to be the most affected and vulnerable due to unavailability of clean water and poor sanitation. As a preventive measure, Dr Manangazira said the ministry is seriously considering vaccinations.
Hotspot mapping
“We have had a high-level technical support team to start working on how best we can do hotspot mapping, and how best we can target specific areas with high risk of getting contamination.
“We want to protect people in these areas by administering vaccines before they contract the disease. We now have a vaccine that prevents cholera and typhoid.”
Dr Manangazira urged residents to practise basic hygiene by boiling and treating all drinking water, adding that borehole water should be taken with caution.
Harare City Council Acting Health Services Director Dr Clemence Duri said they are working with other departments to address the main drivers of cholera.
“As the Health Services Department, we are working with relevant departments to address water, sanitation and hygiene issues which are the main drivers of cholera,” he said.
“We are also conducting awareness campaigns so that the public must have knowledge of the disease and how it can be handled.”
Chitungwiza Hospital public relations manager Mrs Audrey Tasaranarwo told The Sunday Mail that the hospital has the capacity to stabilise patients who come to the medical institution before they are referred to St Mary’s Clinic.
Chairperson of Chitungwiza and Manyame Residents’ Association Mr Marvellous Khumalo said poor service delivery by the local authority was the main cause of the cholera outbreak.
“Without adequate safe and clean drinking water running from the taps, the outbreaks will always occur. Council is to blame,” he said.
“Local authorities have a major role to play in effective service delivery if we are to entertain any hopes of a cholera-free Zimbabwe.”
Online Reporter