City of Kadoma holds Cholera Intra Action Review Workshop
By Susan Tembo
The Kadoma City Council commenced the month of May with a credible stance by holding a Cholera Intra Action Review on May 2, 2024 at Anglican Hall in the city’s Central Business District. This comprised a qualitative review of actions taken in response to the Cholera outbreak in Kadoma.
The workshop was attended by various stakeholders across the country, among them representatives from Marondera City Health, Chitungwiza City Health, Kwekwe City Health, Gokwe Town Health, Sanyati Rural Health, Bulawayo City health, Norton Town Health, Rusape Town Health, Mhondoro Town Health, Karoi Town Health, Masvingo Town Health as well as Bindura Town Health.
According to Kadoma City Health Director, Dr. Daniel Chirundu, this workshop was necessary.
‘This workshop is aimed at coming up with strengths, weaknesses and recommendations related to our Cholera Response and Action as the City Health Department. We need to ensure a critical thinking around Kadoma Cholera Response, we have to document lessons learnt, facilitate cross- sectoral learning, advocate for support and build capacity for Cholera Preparedness and Response in partner organisations,” said Dr. Chirundu.
To date, it has been testified by the community through a community visit to Old lngezi that the Kadoma Health team is working tirelessly to curb the spread of Cholera. Although the City has been experiencing a rise in Cholera-related cases especially in the high density surbubs of Rimuka, Pixie Kombi and Old Ingezi, the Council’s their response is credible.
The workshop noted various strengths of the city health which included: Establishment of Oral Rehydrated Points, one in Rimuka, two in Pixie Kombi, and one in Waverly. One visit to the Oral Rehydration Points visit, Litten Chikore who was among those who visited Oral Rehydration Points in Rimuka and Pixie Kombi as well as the Kadoma Cholera Treatment Centre in lngezi, applauded the tireless efforts of the City Health Department irrespective of challenges they are facing.
“l am happy with the response of our City Health team. It is working hard to make sure that it contains cholera cases. Please keep on working together as a team, I promise together we will overcome this disease’, said Chikore.
The Kadoma Cholera Treatment Centre is functional and is saving lives, not only in Kadoma but Sanyati as well as Mhondoro Districts. The City Council Health department is managing Cholera-related funerals and burials. Awareness campaigns have been done across the city and tap buckets, soap and Water Guard are being distributed to various households especially those affected and those within the vicinity of those affected by this pandemic.
However, there have been setbacks in the Cholera Response. According to the site visit to the Kadoma Cholera Treatment Centre, there is need to add some blankets for the patients, protective clothing for the workers at the centre is a need as well as donations of food and medicine for the patients there. There is also need for more volunteer workers at Oral Rehydration Points. The Health Director made it explicit that those who want to donate towards the Cholera Treatment Centre in Kadoma are welcome.
Attendees at the workshop called for various stakeholders ranging from organisations to individuals to contribute towards the running of the Cholera Treatment Centre and Oral Rehydration Points so as to combat the spread of Cholera. Mr Chinowaita also urged the community in Old lngezi to continuously work hand-in-glove with the City Health Department so as to curb the spread of Cholera. Residents, through community visits, were also encouraged to follow hygienic ways they were taught by the health team. This was said after most of those given tap buckets, soap and Water Guard were not making use of them.
As of April 30, Kadoma has a record of 1296 cholera cases. Of those affected, 44% were females and 56% were males. The City recorded eight cholera-related deaths at the treatment center and eight community deaths, making a total of 16 deaths. The most affected age group was 0 -15 years.
lnitially, cholera patients in Kadoma were admitted at Queen Mary Hospital up until February 13 when the Kadoma Cholera Treatment Centre opened its gates due to increased cholera-related cases.
