Chronicle Editor
Sukulwenkosi Dube-Matutu, [email protected]
MATOBO District in Matabeleland South is set to benefit from a US$400 000 project aimed at boosting human and animal health by improving food and nutrition security and access to water.
The project titled “One Health —Contributing to improved human, animal and environmental health in Matobo District, Zimbabwe” is targeting 2 600 households from four wards that border Matopos National Park.
The project is implemented by Moriti Oa Sechaba in conjunction with the Zimbabwe Human Livestock Development Trust (ZHLDT). It seeks to ensure improved food security and community-based management of malnutrition among children aged five years and below. It also seeks to ensure improved access to water for people and animals to prevent zoonosis and other diseases.
It also seeks to promote a peaceful co-existence between humans and wildlife. It also seeks to ensure improved environmental health through rehabilitation and sustainable use of natural resources
Speaking during an inception meeting recently, Moriti Oa Sechaba executive director Mrs Sefelipelo Bhebhe said the objective of the project is to contribute to improved human, animal and environmental health in Matobo.
“To sustainably strengthen food security, eight nutrition gardens, each approximately one hectare, will be established. This includes the provision of building materials, gardening tools, seedlings and water tanks,” she said.
“We will also have capacity development for health workers, training of village health workers, and support for mother care groups. We will also hold health and education and mentoring for health facilities.”
Mrs Bhebhe said the aim is to increase agricultural productivity and improve food security for a total of 240 households.
“Depending on the productivity of the gardens, surplus produce can also be sold to other community members, providing additional income for the beneficiaries of the gardens,” she said.
Mrs Bhebhe said health workers from Gulathi Rural Health Centre, Masiye Clinic, Silozwi Clinic, Natisa Clinic, Bazha Clinic, and Fumugwe Clinic will be trained to actively screen for different types of malnutrition and undernutrition as well as deficiencies in water and sanitation hygiene and infection prevention.
After the training, the health workers will be expected to identify malnourished children under five years old within their communities and refer them to health facilities.
“They will also sensitise families on health-promoting behaviours. Projects to be undertaken to ensure improved access to water for both people and animals, include the rehabilitation of boreholes, strengthening water user committees, and the facilitation of water quality testing. The boreholes will be located close to the nutrition gardens that will be established,” said Mrs Bhebhe.
“The expected works at the water points are the replacement of pipes, cylinders and foot pedals as most of them are outdated. In addition, water troughs for livestock and wildlife are to be constructed.”
About 2 000 households are expected to get improved access to water through the boreholes.
Mrs Bhebhe said regular water quality tests will be carried out to ensure the quality of the rehabilitated boreholes.
She said 80 community members will be trained to re-activate water user committees. The committees will be responsible for the operation and maintenance of rehabilitated boreholes.
Mrs Bhebhe said the project will also ensure the prevention of zoonosis and other diseases that promote peaceful coexistence between humans and wildlife.
She said activities to support livestock health interventions, strengthen disease surveillance, and capacity building in the management of zoonosis will be conducted.
“To strengthen routine surveillance at district and ward levels for diseases that can threaten humans, animals (livestock and wildlife), and the environment, plans for a sentinel surveillance system will be developed,” said Mrs Bhebhe.
“Sentinel surveillance is a tool to monitor specific communicable disease areas within the population and environment for example through routine sampling and swabbing.”
Mrs Bhebhe said professionals from the ward to district level in health, agriculture, veterinary, national parks and disaster management units will be trained on how to set up a sentinel surveillance system during a two-day workshop.
“In each ward, a zoonosis committee will be established to strengthen disease surveillance and reporting beyond the end of the project,” she said.
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