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Rumbidzayi Zinyuke

Senior Reporter

MORE than 20 boreholes have been drilled in three districts affected by cholera as the Government continues to institute measures to control its spread.

The cholera outbreak, which has been mostly affecting rural districts, has been attributed to lack of proper water and sanitation services.

The Ministry of Health and Child Care’s daily situation report of October 30 shows that Zimbabwe has recorded 6 021 suspected cholera cases, 1 055 confirmed cases, 123 suspected deaths and 44 confirmed cholera deaths since February.

On Monday, 54 new suspected cholera cases were reported, with Chitungwiza reporting 28, the highest number, followed by Buhera with 10, Harare 5, Gutu 4, Zaka 3, Mutare 2, Chimanimani 1 and Shamva 1.

Speaking during yesterday’s post-Cabinet briefing, Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services Minister, Dr Jenfan Muswere, said borehole drilling was part of interventions being implemented by the Government to fight the spread of cholera.

“In response to the cholera challenges, 14 boreholes were drilled in Buhera, Chimanimani 2 and Zaka 8, through a borehole drilling project under the Ministry of Health and Child Care.  

“Cabinet reports that health education on cholera prevention and control measures, including hygiene promotion, is ongoing in provinces,” he said.

Health educators in affected communities, said Dr Muswere, had been trained to facilitate surveillance and risk communication while door-to-door cholera campaigns were being conducted in the affected provinces.

Government has also put in place additional measures that will see continued intensified risk communication and community engagement including involvement of religious and local leadership.

Health education on cholera and other diarrhoeal diseases will also be intensified in schools while information dissemination is being prioritised through mainstream and social media platforms.

“There will be improved safe water access to communities through rehabilitation of boreholes, and drilling boreholes and public health measures will be enforced in all communities reporting cholera cases including restriction of gatherings in all cholera affected areas, and supervision of all burials in all cholera affected areas,” said Dr Muswere.

Earlier this month, Health and Child Care Minister Dr Douglas Mombeshora visited Buhera district with development partners to assess the situation on the ground and come up with specific interventions that would address the challenges.

The visit showed that the spread of the disease was emanating from religious objectors who do not believe in visiting health facilities.

Responding to questions from journalists yesterday, Dr Mombeshora said the Government was still engaging religious leaders to ensure that they are educated on basic hygiene and the importance of visiting health facilities to save lives.

“We have concentrated on talking to the religious leaders in the affected areas because we have realised that all the upsurge cases are linked to Buhera where we have most of these religious objectors. 

“I have personally been to Buhera and spoke to some of those religious objectors who were admitted at the health facilities. What we have done is to use those who have suffered from cholera and were treated to train them on basic hygiene because prevention is the best. 

“We are also recruiting other educators from the religious sector,” he said.

Dr Mombeshora said the Ministry had also engaged legislators in the area, the provincial medical director and the Minister of State for Provincial Affairs and Devolution to engage the religious leaders.

The process of drilling boreholes, he said, was continuing with 30 more boreholes expected to be drilled in the same districts under the Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) programme.