Back to Index

Health personnel allays fears of cholera outbreak in Mbare
Harare Residents Trust
January 04, 2010

IWhat was believed to be a suspected case of cholera, was referred to Beatrice Road Infectious Diseases Hospital on Friday 31 December 2010, examined and produced a negative result for the disease caused by a bacteria called Vibrio Cholerae. It presents itself with watery diarrhoea and sometimes vomiting. If not treated promptly it can kill within hours.

This disease is contracted through drinking contaminated water, eating food that has been contaminated with Vibrio Cholerae from faeces or vomitus, and putting hands that have come in contact with cholera in your mouth.

Symptoms of Cholera:

• Sudden onset of severe rice watery diarrhoea.
• Severe body weakness
• Stomach cramps
• Feeling of wanting to vomit (nausea)
• Vomiting
• Dehydration due to vomiting and diarrhoea
• Sunken eyes, dry, loss of skin elasticity and thirst due to loss of body fluids
• If not treated death occurs within a few hours

HRT Follow Up:

In line with the organisation's policy of engagement, the HRT Coordinator, accompanied by the Mbare Residents' Trust Secretary Simon Dzvene met health personnel at Mbare Poly-Clinic in a follow up to establish the nature of the health problem afflicting the people of Jo'burg Lines in Mbare.

According to health officials at Mbare Poly-Clinic, their only scare occurred on Friday 31 December 2010 when a suspected case of cholera was feared on a patient from Epworth. Suspecting cholera, the nursing staff referred the patient to the Beatrice Road Infectious Disease Hospital, commonly known as Nazareth Hospital where all tests were done and confirmed that the patient had no cholera, but was suffering from ordinary diarrhoea.

Asked if they had attended to any case of cholera in the last few days, the health officials said none had come to their attention, although people often mistake ordinary diarrhoea to cholera. The officials indicated that normally, during the festive season, people consumed a mixture of foods which resulted in stomach upsets which might cause diarrhoea or vomiting.

However, Tuesday 4 January 2011 at 12.30pm, Samuel Mapurisa, the Chairperson of Majubeki Residents' Committee, a member of the HRT, said several residents had approached him, voicing their fears over the potential cholera outbreak following severe vomiting, running stomach and general dizziness, some proven symptoms of the deadly disease.

"The water that residents here have been drinking is smelly, and we suspect that the water delivery system has broken down and sewerage is leaking, leading to the contamination of the water," Mapurisa said.

What the City has done:

Informed sources indicated to the HRT that the City Health Co-Director Dr Stanley Mungofa visited the three health centres in Mbare demanding to know the exact situation regarding the cholera fears. This is a good sign, as far as responding to real crises affecting residents is concerned. Keep the spirit Doctor Mungofa. That is what everyone at Town House and in public office should do whenever reports of this nature emerge.

What Needs to Be Done

The Harare Residents' Trust insists that to safeguard the health of residents living under the current squalid living conditions in Jourburg Lines, relevant authorities should urgently address the issue of overcrowding, dilapidated water and sewerage reticulation infrastructure and improve service provision especially refuse collection.

The organisation also urges media organisations to shun sunshine journalism which hates to report on the negatives about the living conditions of people. Covering up issues in an attempt to appease the Government is bad journalism. The truth should be let out without hindrance. Let the people speak their issues without criminalising their genuine concerns about their welfare.

Contact the HRT on 0772-869294/ 0772-771860 or email us on hretrust@yahoo.com

Please credit www.kubatana.net if you make use of material from this website. This work is licensed under a Creative Commons License unless stated otherwise.

TOP