Health Minister Chitalu Chilufya confirms cholera out break in Lusaka

 

By NDUBI MVULA, Lusaka.

IN his Ministerial statement on the outbreak of cholera in Lusaka District, Minister of Health Chitalu Chilufya confirmed cases of Cholera in Chipata, Mazyopa, Kanyama, and Ngombe compounds of Lusaka District and that there is also a record of one patient who travelled from Kasenga village in Chisamba District who was diagnosed upon arrival in the Capital City.

Dr Chilufya noted that the current outbreak was declared on 6^th October 2017, after laboratory confirmation of two initial cases that were presented to Chipata Level One Hospital on 4^th October, 2017. As at 18:00 hours on 11^th October, the cumulative number of cases was 37, with the youngest being a 3-month old baby who was certified dead within a few minutes of arrival.

He says the child tested positive to the cholera rapid diagnostic test adding that Twenty (20) out of the 37 stool samples tested from the affected patients were positive for Vibrio cholera.

“Currently, only three (3) patients are under admission and receiving appropriate treatment at Chipata and Kanyama Cholera treatment centers. One patient, a child, absconded aided by the mother from Kanyama Cholera treatment center. The other patients stabilized after receiving treatment and have since been discharged,” he says.

He says risk factors associated with Cholera in the affected communities include poor hygiene practices, erratic supply of clean water, and poor sanitation.

“As of this date, five (5) water samples tested from Chipata compound, specifically from boreholes B95, Mazyopa School and A16 as well as the B96 and Lusaka water trust tanks indicated contamination with fecal coliforms. Further analysis indicated presence of Vibrio cholerae in boreholes B95 and A16. With the foregoing, we have no option but to shut down the affected boreholes in our quest to stop the spread of the disease,” he says.

However, Cholera is a disease caused by bacteria called Vibrio cholerae, mainly spread through contaminated food and water. Symptoms include acute onset of diarrhea and or vomiting, abdominal pain, muscle cramps, and body weakness.

If untreated, the infection can result in rapid dehydration and death within 24 hours but that the Ministry of Health has put in measures to control the outbreak.

Some of the interventions that we have instituted include case management in which Cholera treatment centers have been opened in Chipata and Kanyama to specifically manage Cholera cases. These have been staffed with Doctors, nurses and other health workers as well as the provision of adequate medical supplies and drugs to support patient care.

The other measure is contract tracing under which the Environmental Health Technicians and Community Health Workers have been deployed to trace all contacts of the affected patients.

He says this is critical to quickly identify those who may have contracted the infection so that they are screened and given appropriate treatment and hence stop further spread of the infection. In addition, door-to-door distribution of household chlorine, and chlorination of water sources is on-going.

Also on the cards is the aspect for health education which Dr Chilufya health promotion messages are being given to the public through various strategies including use of mobile public address systems, and distribution of printed materials such as brochures, leaflets, and posters. Messages are also being disseminated through community radio stations and the public broadcaster, the Zambia National Broadcasting Corporation.

On environmental management Dr Chilufya says water sampling has been enhanced in the affected communities and extended to the rest of the province to ensure that contaminated sources are identified as soon as possible in order to institute appropriate remedial measures.

He says chlorination of water sources is ongoing and in partnership with the local authority while waste management has been enhanced with more trucks mobilized to remove the garbage in affected areas.

“This however, needs to be escalated further by thoroughly cleaning up the affected areas including markets and streets through a multisectoral approach. Inspection of public facilities including markets, food outlets and other trading premises has also been intensified in the affected communities,” he says.

And lastly Dr Chilufya, on the multispectral response says his Ministry of Health is working in collaboration with various partners including the Lusaka City Council, Lusaka Water and Sewerage Company, the Zambia National Service (ZNS), the Disaster Management and Mitigation Unit (DMMU), World Health Organisation (WHO), UNICEF, USAID Discover Health, Pharmanova and CIDRZ in providing alternative supply of clean water to affected residents using water bowsers.

He says working with the DMMU, works are underway to erect tank stands to mount fifteen (15) by 10,000 liters water tanks to supply clean and safe drinking water to affected areas. Further, the Lusaka Water and Sewerage Company has been directed to provide a waiver for the affected communities and supply water at no cost to the consumer at the point of collection.

While working with the Lusaka City Council efforts have been stepped up to clean the affected areas whereas the street vendors and the public at large have been engaged to address the potential risk of spreading the disease through food sold in the open on the streets.

It goes without saying that as the rains are now here, there is need for everyone to critically and seriously observe high levels of hygiene at household level while Dr Chilufya and his Team are focusing on a wide space in the fight against cholera than leave everything in the government’s hands.

“I appeal to residents in the affected areas and the nation at large, to observe high standards of personal hygiene, including washing hands with soap and clean water before handling food and after using the toilet. Raw food such as fruits must be thoroughly washed and cooked food should be heated before consumption. Water can be made safe by boiling or chlorinating it. I urge our people to avoid buying and selling food from undesignated trading places such as streets. Further, mass gatherings should be avoided, unless absolutely necessary,” he says.