Story by Memory Chamisa
AS schools prepare to open on Monday next week, Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) points have been identified as critical in containing the outbreak of Cholera.
The government has put in place responsive measures across the country ahead of the opening of schools for the second term next week.
A survey by the ZBC News at some of the schools in Harare showed the state of preparedness with visible WASH points on-premises.
The government through the Ministry of Health and Child Care together with City Health Departments have since activated emergency cholera response systems.
“The cholera situation in Harare is escalating, with schools opening next week, we advising authorities to be more cautious by setting up more Wash points at their premises like they did during the covid-19 pandemic.
“From experience, schools have proved to be epicentres for epidemic diseases and pupils constantly need to be reminded to wash hands, and fruits and eat thoroughly cooked food. We are also rolling out a vaccination blitz as we did with the Typhoid programme and schools are our main target,” said City of Harare Epidemiologist, Dr Micheal Vere.
As of Wednesday, there were 16 new suspected cholera cases, three laboratory-confirmed results and eight recoveries.
The suspected cases were reported in Harare’s Glenview and Borrowdale suburbs, Bindura, Mutare and Chimanimani.
Since the recent Cholera outbreak in February, 650 suspected cases have been recorded, 136 of them confirmed, while 597 people have recovered.
