. . . as Zimbabwe is cholera free
BY CATHERINE MUROMBEDZI-HEALTH CORRESPONDENT
By July 28, Zimbabwe had gone cholera free for a month with the Ministry of Health and Child Care Minister, Dr Douglas Mombeshora declaring the end of the epidemic. Cholera cases had been reported in 63 out of the 64 districts.
The nation had battled cholera for nearly 1.5-years.
The end of cholera marked a significant milestone in the country’s efforts to combat the disease.
In a statement, Elisha Sithole, Project Coordinator for the Cholera Outbreak Response Emergency Project at Doctors Without Borders (MSF) in Zimbabwe, welcomed the news urging the country to use the lessons learned to avoid another outbreak or manage future outbreaks.
“It is extremely encouraging to learn that the cholera outbreak has come to an end in Zimbabwe, given the magnitude of the outbreak which claimed many lives and impacted many people for more than a year. This experience taught us many lessons that we should consider for future outbreaks,”
Sithole emphasized the importance of a holistic approach to fighting cholera, including vaccination, water and sanitation, community engagement, leadership commitment, and case management.
He also highlighted the need for global cooperation, citing the recent international conference on cholera elimination in Mozambique.
As MSF continues to advocate for cholera vaccination worldwide, Sithole’s words serve as a reminder that vigilance and cooperation are crucial in preventing future outbreaks.
Zimbabwe had to give the oral cholera vaccine targetting people in the cholera hotspots.
He said commitment from the highest office served to the cholera cause was applauded.
“It was encouraging to see Heads of States, including many from Southern Africa meeting in Mozambique for the first ever international conference on eliminating cholera from 29th to 30th of July. The UN family, various Non-Governmental Organizations and ministers working together on strategies. The multidisciplinary approach will enable vaccination, improvement in water and sanitation, community engagement, leadership commitment and case management,” he said.
With these pillars, putting lessons learned into use will see better responses in case of another outbreak.
● Vaccination: target communities must be educated to appreciate the benefits
● Water and sanitation (WASH): this basic human right must be provide
● Community engagement: The affected must be part of solving challenges
● Leadership commitment: buy-in from the highest office, leadership is a winning formula
● Case management: identify, treat and empower
By observing the above points, cholera outbreaks can be prevented and controlled with better outcomes.
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