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Fortunate Gora Mash West Correspondent
At least 110 typhoid-related cases have been recorded in Zvimba District in Mashonaland West Province. Residents in Inkomo and Federation Housing schemes are the most affected. Twenty-one of the 110 suspected cases were screened at the National Reference Laboratory and 11 cases tested positive.

At least 78 cases were reported at Federation Compound near Dzivarasekwa and Zvimba. Acting Mashonaland West provincial medical director Dr Gift Masoja confirmed the outbreak, saying Zvimba Rural District Council should ensure proper sanitary facilities in the affected areas.

“I think Zvimba Rural District (Council) has neglected the two areas, for example in Federation, garbage is not being collected and there are three broken down boreholes,” he said.

“There is no water reticulation system and people are relying on shallow wells, which are also close to latrines. In Inkomo, refuse collection is fine, proper toilets are there, piped water is there, but the problem is inadequate water supply. So if the responsible local authority (Zvimba RDC) does not take action immediately, we are likely to face more cases.”

Dr Masoja said the Ministry of Health and Child Care had since approached Zvimba RDC to provide essential services to the two communities.

Zvimba RDC chief executive Mr Peter Hlohla said Federation Compound was under private land developers, who were supposed to provide on-site and off-site infrastructure in line with their land development permit. He said council would move in to provide some services to the community to ameliorate the situation.

“The truth of the matter is that Federation Compound is a cooperative and private land owners should take full responsibility, everything about that area is being run under Harare, but when it comes to health matters Zvimba RDC is blamed. However, we are going to take the responsibility and resolve the problem,” said Mr Hlohla.

Mr Hlohla said Inkomo Compound was under Zvimba, but receive its water from Harare and council planned to have its own water treatment plant to supply the district.