THE Ministry of Health and Child care has stepped in to deal with the outbreak of diarrhoea that has hit the Tokwe-Mukorsi flood victims sheltered at Chingwizi transit camp in Nuanetsi.
By Everson Mushava Chief Reporter
The ministry yesterday deployed health workers to educate the flood victims on good hygienic methods while at the same time stepping up the construction of tanks to provide up to 200 000 litres of treated water a day to avert a major health disaster.
Masvingo Provincial Medical Director Dr Robert Mudyiradima said five health workers and 60 hygienic promoters were deployed to the camp to educate villagers on good hygienic practices.
“There are now three functional boreholes and we are building tanks to provide treated water for the villagers,” he said.
“We had been relying on water bowsers, but the trucks are experiencing breakdowns these days. We hope to be through by Thursday or Friday this week.”
Mudyirandima said about 400 cases of diarrhoea had been reported since last week when the disease broke out at the camp where about 21 000 people are currently sheltered.
The health workers, Mudyirandima said, would also be focusing on child health issues.
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“With this intervention, the situation is going to be contained. We will be monitoring the situation until next week,” he said.
For more than two months now, the flood victims have been facing a shortage of clean water, worsened by poor sanitation facilities.
There are fears of an outbreak of cholera and other water borne diseases in the area.
Government is struggling to relocate the families who are largely surviving on donor support for food, drinking water and blankets.
More heavy rains poured in the area last week, raising further fears of an outbreak of malaria which has so far claimed one life.
