By Sukuoluhle Ndlovu
Nine people have died of diarrhoea with over a thousand suspected cases in Bulawayo, the Zimbabwe Association of Doctors for Human Rights (ZADHR) has revealed.
Bulawayo has been battling with a diarrhoea outbreak as a result of severe water shortages.
To date over 1 500 suspected cases of diarrhoea and 9 deaths have been recorded.
ZADHR in a statement urged the City of Bulawayo to synergise the response to the diarrhoea outbreak with the existing measures in place to mitigate the Covid -19 pandemic.
“ZADHR has noted with great concern the current diarrhoeal disease outbreak in Zimbabwes second largest city, Bulawayo. To date over 1 500 suspected cases and 9 deaths have been recorded. The diarrhoeal disease outbreak has largely been attributed to the serious water crisis facing the city of Bulawayo particularly in Luveve and surrounding areas.
The outbreak compounds an already existing public health crisis posed by the Covid -19 pandemic,” reads part of the statement.
There should be door to door search of diarrhoea patients.
“ZADHR takes note of the outbreak containment measures adopted by the City of Bulawayo in collaboration with the Ministry of Health and Child Care in responding to the crisis through the setting up of designated treatment centres for children, adult screeening, treatment and resuscitation facilities and the activation of a rapud response team to conduct door to door searches of diarrhoea patients.”
They added that measures should be taken to mitigate the water crisis so to avoid water borne diseases such as typhoid, cholera and other infectious diseases.
“As an urgent mitigatory measure the municipality of Bulawayo must provide clean and safe water through use if bowsers, drilling of boreholes in affected areas and in other areas to respond to the growing crisis.”
The city council has been advised investigate and identify the pathological cause of the outbreak.
“ZADHR calls the government to expedite the completion of the Matebeleland Zambezi Water Project so as to address the perenial water challenges in Bulawayo and the Matabeleland Region.”
