Kibaha controls cholera outbreaks

HARRIET KIAMA

COAST Region authorities are embarking on short and long term plans ensuring that cholera outbreaks in the region are ended by involving communities from the grassroots level.

Some of the strategies which are included in the plans includes having sustainable awareness programs on the transmission, prevention and treatment of the disease and having close cleanliness supervision at District level.

The Regional Health Officer, Mr Simon Malulu, told participants at a Regional Primary Health Care meeting in Kibaha that his office has started to implement the plans and positive results have started to be witnessed. “We have managed to control cholera outbreaks in our region and no new case has been reported for some time now.

We intend to maintain this situation”, he said. Regional Medical Officer (RMO), Dr Beatrice Byarugaba said that in the past few months a total of 85 people were admitted suffering from the disease five of them lost their lives.

She explained that, 254 people were admitted in different hospitals after being suspected to have the disease but were discharged after testing negative. On his part Regional Commissioner (RC), Eng Evarist Ndikilo pointed out that his office will work with the district councils in conducting cleanliness campaigns from this week.

Cholera is a highly dangerous disease that thrives in cities, municipalities and towns where unsanitary conditions prevails mostly in congested places occupied by squatters--mainly the poor who live in filthy conditions with no clean piped water. Swarms of houseflies roam in these localities spreading a variety of diseases including cholera.

It is these unsanitary conditions that are often the source of numerous fast killing illnesses such as cholera, dysentery and typhoid. These diseases often erupt where communities do not have good pit latrines, toilets or lavatories.

Cholera is an acute diarrheal disease caused by an infection in the intestines that can kill even a healthy adult in a matter of hours. Symptoms, including severe watery diarrhea, can surface in as little as two hours or up to five days after infection, and can then trigger extreme dehydration and kidney failure.