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| Cholera control in Chiredzi |
Diverse scenes characterized the story of villagers on the communal lands of Chiweshi, from the stench of death and terror to mixed episodes of hope, strength, and ultimate victory over the life-threatening waterborne disease cholera.
Located about 100 kilometers north of Harare in Mashonaland Central Province, Dambo village made the news last week after it became the epicenter of infectious bacteria in the wake of a cholera outbreak after villagers attended a confirmed cholera death that occurred in the area.
Shiweshi, famous for its agricultural prowess, rich soil and favorable agro-climatic conditions, became a victim of a cholera epidemic that has spread so far in many parts of the province that Tsongobvi in Glendale Township has been designated a hotspot.
Socially through the cultural norms and traditional values of Ubuntu, it is customary for the villagers that every time someone dies, they all gather to mourn with the grieving friends and family of the deceased, for them it is unheard of that people cannot be allowed to gather for a funeral.
This was the case in Dambo village, where mourners who attended the funeral of village chief Sabuku Kudzwa, born Gift Nyarere, did not believe that he had died of cholera and continued with the funeral without observing the guidelines protocols that health workers rely on in cases of cholera-related deaths.
Giving his ordeal of how the outbreak began, Ward 13 Councilor, CDE Edward Mutiafavere, who narrowly escaped death after a two-day battle with cholera, confirmed the horrific attack that left Dambo and Kanyimba residents hospitalized and one person dead.
“When the late Sabuku Kudzwa fell ill, he was brought here to the Dumbo Clinic where he only revealed that he had fallen while at home, and was then treated and sent home. By then, no one suspected he might have contracted cholera until he died a few days later after He complained of diarrhea and headache, and tests later revealed that he died of cholera, making it the first confirmed mass death due to cholera.
“During the funeral, local health workers made efforts to alert mourners that the deceased had died of cholera and there was a real risk of bacterial infection, but many people did not believe that such bacteria associated with urban facilities could visit our remote areas, so the warnings fell on deaf ears.” Except a few days later when the villagers started complaining of headaches and stomach pains. After that tests were done and they confirmed that we were infected with cholera. “I was also among the confirmed cases as I was struggling to recover for several days,” Cllr Mutiavavere explained.
After the funeral, so many cases were recorded within 48 hours that the Dumbo Clinic was the second high-risk center in the province after Tsongobvi in Glendale City.
Amidst the panic, terror and death, the local leadership, united with health workers, showed great commitment by responding to the call of duty with rapid interventions that paved the way to fight the epidemic and prevent it from spreading to many parts of the community. Regions.
The state of preparedness undertaken by the Ministry of Health and Child Welfare in Mazowe District was a masterstroke in mitigating the threat posed by this disaster to about 26 villages in the Jinnah area.
“After positive results for cholera in the patients tested, we received 19 people on the first day, and that is when we confirmed that more cases had arrived from the funeral, so we quickly declared Damba a cholera camp and requested assistance to support humanity. District Medical Officer Dr. Kudzai Chisenwa said: The ability to provide resources is in this place.”
“At the peak, we recorded 20 cases overnight, and the situation was bad as we lost another patient who was admitted, but our health staff were on the ground disinfecting homes and vehicles as well as conducting awareness campaigns, and since Friday we are witnessing a commendable recovery as the number of patients has decreased. who are accepted.”
Dr. Chisinwa also revealed that as of Sunday, Dumbo had 77 cumulative cases, and 66 had been treated and discharged, adding that even though they were out of the forest, the community should remain alert.
A stakeholders meeting held last week revealed on Thursday that interventions by various departments have contributed to stabilizing cases in Dumbo as the Ministry of Health and Child Care put in place more pillars to contain the spread of diseases.
Among the major factors that contributed to this was the camp’s ability to provide the basic requirements that were provided among them, including food, blankets, buckets, medicines and a host of tools that made it possible for the health workers in the line of duty to deal efficiently with the confirmed cases.
“From day one, we have been running to provide all the necessary elements to both health workers and admitted patients, and at the same time to the conscience of the community, it was necessary for us as local leaders to intervene in a timely manner, guided by our medical staff,” weighed in Mazowe Central MP Maxmore Nganji. .
“Working alongside the traditional leader of this area, Chief Ngomo, we have been able to secure all the necessary elements for this camp to function efficiently and we are now seeing a decline in the number of cases. We have also visited the Rosa Clinic where the situation is stable with a small number of cases recorded and about three recoveries. Sick there.”
Among the outstanding community concerns is the issue of water, sanitation and washing facilities in schools.
“We have determined that many boreholes in the area need to be repaired and more need to be drilled in line with WASH health protocols, so all mechanisms have been put in place to tie up these loose ends as soon as possible,” Mr Nganje added.
Further interventions were achieved after Taiwan’s Tzu Chi Zimbabwe donated 50 blankets and 500 kg of rice to the cholera camp, including facilitating the repair of non-functioning wells in the area.
Retired Minister of State for Provincial Affairs and Delegation Captain Christopher Magomo said Tzu Chi was contributing to the fight against cholera in the province.
“The organization intervened in the Tsongupvi cholera camp when the disease broke out, and we received tons of rice from our Taiwanese friends.
“So, all those hands coming in are contributing to our success in combating this infectious bacteria that threatens our communities, by far Tsongubvi and Dambo have been the most important as the rest of the province stabilizes,” Minister Magomo said.
