Cholera kills 106 people in less than four months

 The government has confirmed the death of 106 cholera patients countrywide since its outbreak less than four months ago in mid August.

 

To meet the challenge, the government has set aside 900m/- to intensify the fight against the killer disease. 

Head of Emergency and Disaster Department at the Ministry of Health and Social Welfare Dr Mary Kitambi made the announcement yesterday in Dar es Salaam when briefing the media on the current status of Cholera in the country. 

Speaking on behalf of Chief Medical Officer, Victoria Bula, she said, cholera has so far hit 17 regions and 39 municipals in Tanzania mainland. 

“Various interventions have been under taken by the government these include provision of education to the public on hygienic and healthy living,” she noted.  

Kitambi also pointed out that, this year, Tanzania has faced the outbreak of various diseases including dengue fever, bird flu and rift valley fever.

“However, most of the epidemic diseases that occur in the country also hit other nations in the world,” she said placing the outbreak of cholera in Dar es Salaam on August 15 this year where a patient from Kijitonyama in Kinondoni District was reported sick.

“From here, it spread to Temeke and Ilala districts,” she added but was quick to intone “...the disease is no longer a threat in Dar es Salaam Region...there are only 50 admitted patients at the moment.” 

However, Head of Diseases at the Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, Dr Janeth Mugamba said estimates of 180 new patients are reported at different hospitals in the country and that the most affected regions are Dar es Salaam, Tanga, Mwanza and Morogoro.

On her part, the Ministry’s Head of Public Education, Hellen Semu said citizens are being educated on the importance of drinking boiled and cooled water and to wash hands with soap and clean water before and after meals.

“We are also providing education on how to take care of cholera patients,” she added.

Commenting, Acting Director for Hygiene and Environment, Theophil Likangaga said most of the water used by Dar es Salaam residents for cooking and other domestic activities is contaminated. 

Likangara noted that only 30 per cent of the city dwellers consume clean and safe water.

“The remaining 70 per cent use contaminated water,” he said.

Meanwhile, Laboratory Specialist, Theophil Malibiche said recently conducted research across the country show that 668 samples of water (62 per cent) out of 1, 071 were discovered to have some cholera related bacteria.SOURCE: THE GUARDIAN