By Mugove Tafirenyika
Government’s efforts to contain the cholera outbreak that has so far claimed over 20 lives are yielding positive reports as there have been no deaths recorded as of yesterday Health and Child Care minister Obadiah Moyo has said.
Speaking at the handover ceremony of some equipment from the ministry’s partners that include Avenues Clinic, Higher Life and Medsure to combat the disease at Beatrice Road Infectious Diseases Hospital yesterday, Moyo revealed that while 5 045 cases of cholera had been attended to by yesterday, none had resulted in death.
“As far as this morning’s figures are concerned, 5 045 cases have been attended to and although it is an increase from the previous 4 646 we have been advised that there has not been any death and that is a good sign,” Moyo said.
Moyo said it was normal that there is an initial rise in figures when an outbreak is recorded although it will increase as coping mechanisms are implemented.
“We hope that it is going to steep off as the containment strategy gets into full swing as more support continues to come in and we hope to reach zero deaths with all reported cases being cured,” he said.
Moyo added that the ministry had identified that some of the cholera-causing bacteria was drug resistant hence there is need for antibiotics to boost the efficacy of the medication that is being administered on patients.
Avenues Clinic, Higher Life, Medsure and several others came up with an array of donations including antibiotics, protective clothing and even medical personnel in support of government’s efforts.
“As Avenues Clinic we want to participate in this programme and we have pledged to provide 200 cases of the antibiotic and the fluid to contain the drug-resistant bacteria so we have 660 boxes of that as well,” the clinic’s managing director Searchmore Chaparadza said.
Meanwhile, Moyo who was accompanied by Environment and Tourism minister Prisca Mupfumira said President Emmerson Mnangagwa has also donated $100 000 towards the containment of the pandemic which has been described by many as “a stone age disease” which should not be afflicting humanity in this digital age.
“The president has also donated $100 000 which is quite a substantial amount while we also got 20 000 litres of water from TelOne, and another 20 000 litres from Zimnat as well as some donations from Trauma Centre Borrowdale and others,” Moyo said.
He, however, noted that the efforts that were being hampered by lack of resources could also go to waste if the source of the problem has not been identified and dealt with.
“Clean water is essential, we also need to make sure that where the patients are coming from has been cleared of the disease because it does not make sense to just treat them and then they go back and drink from the same contaminated sources of water where the sewerage facilities are malfunctioning.
“We must make sure all that is fixed and we are also putting in place mechanisms to contain the disease in terms of its geographic scope so that it does not spread countrywide,” he said. Daily News
