The Sunday News
Nozibelo Maphosa, Sunday News Reporter
AT least 120 cases of suspected diarrhoea have been reported at the Bulawayo Polytechnic College after students complained of running tummies while some vomited amid fears that the water at the college could have been contaminated.
Preliminary investigations have, however, revealed that the higher learning institution could have connected one of its boreholes to the main water supplies, a situation that could have led to the contamination. When a Sunday News crew visited the institution recently, students said they had to seek medical attention after they started vomiting and had been sick for more than three days with continued running tummies.
The institution’s principal, Engineer Gilbert Mabasa, confirmed the incident saying they were carrying out investigations to determine the cause of the problem. He said he could not confirm whether the problem was diarrhoea but said the institution has engaged health experts to look into the matter.
“We are currently investigating the outbreak. The name of the disease is still unknown because the results of the investigations are still outstanding. Resident nurses have been treating the cases with antibiotics, which proves to be working as there hasn’t been any repeat cases. Those dehydrated have been given fluids and the oral rehydration solution (salt and sugar solution), the situation is under control,” said Eng Mabasa.
He said they recorded the first case of the outbreak on 14 September and ever since then 121 students have been treated at the college clinic.
“We have had 121 cases since the first outbreak on 14 September. Only four cases were reported to the United Bulawayo Hospitals (UBH) but the students were discharged on treatment,” said Eng Mabasa.
Bulawayo City Council public relations officer Miss Bongiwe Ngwenya also confirmed receiving a report on the possible contamination of the Polytechnic water but said they were carrying out the necessary investigations.
“We received that report but our health inspectorate is carrying out the necessary investigations to determine the actual cause and whether council water was the root cause of the suspected ailment,” said Miss Ngwenya.
Students interviewed revealed that they were suffering from running tummies and were also vomiting. They alleged that in some cases, brown water was coming out of the water tap.
“I have been suffering from a running stomach for the past three days, I really don’t know what the problem is.
“The water we have been drinking this term is not clean, sometimes it comes in brown. I strongly believe it is borehole water,” said a student.
This is not the first time that the institution has been hit by a diarrhoea scare. In 2014, the Bulawayo City Council and the Matabeleland North medical directorate had to be dispatched to the college to investigate a similar matter. In 2014 hundreds of students were treated of varying degrees of ailment.
Investigations by the council revealed that there was a 50 percent chance that one of the boreholes at the institution was contaminated. However, the city health department later on confirmed that it was a diarrhea outbreak after discovering Shigella organisms in students’ stool samples. Shigella organisms cause diarrhoea.
