MP partners Olinda, Tytan in cholera fight

Glen View South MDC Alliance MP Vimbayi Tsvangirai-Java has partnered musician Njabulo Nkomo aka Tytan and his wife Olinda Chapel in a cholera awareness campaign, as the parliamentarian seeks to conscientise members of the public on the epidemic that has claimed the lives of at least 30 people.

Tsvangirai-Java, who is daughter to the late former prime minister Morgan Tsvangirai, and the couple — (Olinda and Tytan) — are also mobilising resources in order to make donations in the community, which has been the hardest hit by the epidemic.

The disease, that has seen the high-density suburb of Glen View emerge as its epicentre, has been spreading fast across the country, a development that has resulted in government declaring a state of emergency.

Several groups are chipping in with help to assist in containing the disease, through providing cholera kits which contain oral rehydration solution, intravenous fluids and antibiotics to cholera treatment centres.

“At the core of Glen View South Constituency which has been hit hard by the cholera pandemic is the lack of access to clean water due the dysfunctional boreholes in the area, lack of tablets for water treatment before consumption, (and) refuse collection and proper litter management.

“In view of the outbreak of cholera is the constituency, as the MP for Glen View South Constituency, I have launched an intensive fight against the spread of cholera dubbed the “Glen View South Anti-Cholera Campaign”. A line-up of initiatives is being rolled out in a period of four weeks to combat the spread of cholera in Glen View South,” Tsvangirai-Java said.

Tytan told the Daily News that their participation and donation in the programme was aimed at assisting cholera victims, and influencing others into taking part in this good cause.

“Besides being the mandate of the Olinda Chapel Foundation to assist women, we feel that as influencers with a huge following both locally and internationally, we have to assist others. We feel like influencing people in a better way in the fight against cholera. It’s our responsibility as people who widely reach out to the world to take part in such an initiative that assists our community,” Tytan said.

Cholera is an acute water-borne diarrhoeal disease that is preventable if people have access to safe water and sanitation and practice good hygiene. The organisation also said the disease can kill within hours if left untreated.

Tsvangirai-Java further told the Daily News that there was an urgent need to ensure that the community gets access to clean water through resuscitation and drilling of new boreholes as well as distribution of water treatment tablets to minimise the risk of consuming untreated and contaminated water.

“I am calling for all stakeholders to join hands with me in the great drive of the anti-cholera campaign which should see Glen View and adjacent neighbourhoods experience a sustainable access to clean and safe water for a healthy community, clean friendly environment which minimises the spread of cholera and awareness through an educative and informative road shows around the constituency which will be supported by information fliers distributed in the community,” she said.

She said the road shows are aimed at conscientising the people on the cause of cholera, how it spreads, signs and symptoms, as well as its treatment.

Through this initiative, Tsvangirai-Java will also make donations in the form of gloves, brooms, harrows and litter bags, to help improve sanitation in the area. DailyNews