Council receives technical assistance in Cholera fight

Bulawayo City Council (BCC) says it has received technical assistance from laboratory scientists who have volunteered their services in a bid to monitor cholera cases in the city.

There was a scare last week that the water borne disease had spread to Bulawayo after three people were last week quarantined at Thorngrove Hospital after exhibiting symptoms similar to that of Cholera.

However, the local authority`s Assistant Director of Health Services, Dr Khulamuzi Nyathi said of the 10 reported cases, none of the results came back positive.

¨We have been approached by an association of laboratory scientists who have offered to boost manpower in our labs,” said Dr Nyathi.

“Currently they were represented by four people who work from various health institutions, more volunteers are coming so we expect the number to increase”.

He said the local authority has been on standby since the disease was detected in the country.

¨We made preparations on how to respond should we receive any cases,” said Dr Nyathi.

“We have a surveillance team in charge of following up all the suspected cases.

“The team will be on the ground we will be on the ground to collect specimen and do some tests.

“Another team is the disinfection team, making sure all areas where there are cases get disinfected be they homes, clinics, private surgeries among others.

He added that they have set up a fully manned treatment centre at Thorngrove Hospital.

¨There’s also the management team involving nurses and doctors situated at Thorngrove hospital where we have set a cholera treatment centre,” said Dr Nyathi.

“All reported cases are being referred there for evaluation. In place is an ambulance specifically for ferrying suspected cholera patients. Once the ambulance ferries a patient it will be disinfected”.

Dr Nyathi said they are disseminating reading material through schools, hospitals and churches. He said they have also resorted to publishing videos and pictures on social media platforms.

Meanwhile, informal traders operating from the city market have expressed concern over the inconsistencies in the collection of garbage.

¨We were told garbage should be collected on a daily basis but at times they take up to four days without coming,” fumed one of the vendors.

“We sweep and gather the litter at one place but garbage collectors always leave it there. They claim not to take dirt that is not put in bins, we make an effort to collect it on one place but still they don´t budge. We are appealing to the local authority to intervene”.

Public Transport Operators also expressed concern on the shortages of ablution facilities and their forced to relieve themselves in the open.