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John Murwira Correspondent
The Ministry of Health and Child Care has put Chirundu in Mashonaland West Province on high alert for cholera following an outbreak of the disease in neighbouring Zambia.

The ministry has teamed up with Chirundu town board to raise awareness in the border town. Provincial health promotions officer Mr George Kambondo said a team of health officers were on the ground, implementing cholera awareness campaigns.

“We have joined hands with Chirundu town board and other key stakeholders to educate people on hygiene and related issues, which can help in preventing the disease,” he said.

“There is also a team at the border, who are checking and confiscating foodstuffs from inbound passengers.”Chirundu town board secretary Mr Wilson Gunhe said as council, they were inspecting all food outlets across the town to make sure they met expected health standards.

“Our teams are on the ground, inspecting all food outlets to make sure their working environments are clean and we are also doing clean-up campaigns in the town,” he said.

Mr Gunhe said they embarked on a door-to-door campaign, educating people on good hygiene practices. He urged people to avoid handshakes and frequent movements to Zambia. People who suspect that they could have contracted the disease should seek early treatment, he said.

“We have put in place control centres across the town, so we advise people who suspect that they have contracted the disease to seek treatment early to avoid loss of life,” he said.

Health and Child Care Minister Dr David Parirenyatwa recently said the country was aware of developments in neighbouring Zambia. As of yesterday afternoon, at least 67 people had died from cholera countrywide in Zambia, most of them in the capital Lusaka. The cumulative total of cholera cases stood at 2 905, of which 218 were under treatment.