By Yamikani Sabola

Chitipa, September 27, Mana: Deputy Minister of Health, Halima Daudi has commended Chitipa District Health Office (DHO) for measures it has put in place to contain the spread of cholera in the district.

Daudi was speaking Thursday in Chitipa when she visited the district to appreciate the situation on the ground following cholera outbreak which has since affected 40 people and claimed one life.

Daudi noted that no case was reported on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday which she said was testament that the battle against cholera was being won.

"When we heard that there is a cholera outbreak, we decided, together with the Presidential Task Force on Emergencies, to come and assess the situation. We hear that there are 40 cases which have been treated and one death but the good thing is that, as of today, there is no any other case reported in our health facilities.

"Let me commend health workers in the district because they are doing a lot in fighting the outbreak. As government, we are committed to achieving World Health Organisation's goal of eliminating cholera by 2030," Daudi said.

She said as the country heads to the rainfall season, there was need for health workers to intensify sensitisation to the communities on cholera preventive measures including treatment of water with chlorine, proper use of toilets and washing hands with soap after visiting the toilet and before handling food.

District Medical Officer for Chitipa, Dr. Victor Matumbo, said the cholera cases were registered at five health facilities including Kameme, Kapenda, Ifumbo, Kaseghe Health Centers and Chitipa District Hospital.

Matumbo said the disease could have broken out because boreholes in some areas of Chitipa yield salty water, which forces some community members to use water from Songwe River for domestic purposes,

"The cholera outbreak was first registered at Kapenda Health Center on 9 September and it started spreading to communities that are along Songwe River. So as DHO, we believe that the source of cholera could be water from Songwe River," he said.

He said the DHO had rolled out various measures against the outbreak including conducting community awareness and sensitisation campaigns on prevention and control of cholera.

Matumbo said other measures included distribution of chlorine, contact tracing of cholera cases and establishment of cholera treatment camps in the communities so that patients do not travel long distances to get treatment.

Senior Chief Mwabulambya commended government and other partners including Malawi Red Cross Society, Partners in Hope and Partners in Health, for responding promptly to the emergency.