The Sunday News
Munyaradzi Musiiwa, Midlands Correspondent
THE Government has disbursed more than $239 000 to the Midlands Civil Protection Unit to combat cholera in Mberengwa following the outbreak of the water-borne disease in Chomubobo resettlement areas.
The disease has since claimed two lives from the 26 cases reported since its outbreak on December 18 last year. Midlands Provincial Civil Protection Unit chairperson Mr Thompson Siziba said the Government had disbursed $239 050 for the Mberengwa Cholera outbreak. Mr Siziba said the money was used for the setting up of cholera treatment camps and other non-food items procured to assist in fighting the disease.
“As a province we received $239 050 from Government under the cholera response fund that was established at national level to assist in case of cholera outbreaks. This money was used in the setting up of cholera, logistics and procurement of other non-food items. As of January 4, we have utilised $82 264,” he said.
Midlands Provincial Medical Director, Dr Simon Nyadundu said at least 26 cases of cholera have been recorded since its outbreak last month.
Dr Nyadundu said the majority of the affected patients were treated and discharged.
“We only had two deaths contrary to earlier reports that three people had died. We have a total of 26 cases that we have recorded since the time of the outbreak to today. Most of the patients have been treated and discharged. However, we received eight more suspected cases of cholera and these are the only ones that we are attending to now,” he said.
Dr Nyadundu said the Ministry of Health and Child Care was relocating the treatment camp from Chomubobo area to pave way for schools opening.
“We had camped in Chomubobo but now that the schools are opening we are now relocating the camp. We are in the process of identifying a new site. Another challenge that we have in the area is that there is poor sanitation. There are no safe water sources and most toilets were swept away during the Cyclone Dineo-induced floods a few years back,” he said.
Dr Nyadundu said Mberengwa is not adequately manned by health personnel who have a know-how of how to deal with cholera.
“Chomubobo area has only one village health worker. We are training other volunteers to be village health workers. Also Mberengwa had never had a cholera outbreak; as a result, the nurses in the area have no experience on how to deal with the disease. They are not fully equipped with knowledge,” he said.
