South Africa : Zimbabwe cholera outbreak will not affect SA health system

By Gabi Khumalo

Pretoria - Government's assistance in the Zimbabwe cholera outbreak will not put a burden on South Africa's health system.

Briefing media on the outbreak of cholera in Zimbabwe and South Africa on Wednesday, Health Minister Barbara Hogan said that while South Africa was under pressure to respond to its own health problems, the country was obliged to assist its neighbour.

"I do not think the scale of the problem is large enough to stretch our resources.

"We will provide any assistance required by the World Health Organisation. There is a humanitarian crisis in Zimbabwe. Under no circumstance will we want to stop people who are sick and in need of treatment from entering the country.

"We will not look down on people suffering in Zimbabwe, these are people who need our help and we will provide humanitarian assistance to people who are sick," Minister Hogan said.

It was for that reason that an interdepartmental committee was set up in South Africa with the Department of Home Affairs.

Ms Hogan said Zimbabweans crossing the border for treatment would not be considered illegal, as they were fellow neighbours and part of the Southern Africa Development Community (SADC).

World Health Organisation Representative in South Africa, Dr Stella Anyangwe, said material assistance was needed in Zimbabwe to the value of about USD 117 000 for items which were needed immediately.

South Africa has partnered with other roleplayers, including Doctors without Borders, to ensure that material supplies such as water treatment tablets; treatment tents; latex gloves, body bags, IV sets and other products that are not found on shop shelves in Zimbabwe are sourced.

As at 26 November, 8 887 suspected cholera cases and 366 deaths have been reported in Zimbabwe.

The Limpopo Provincial Health Department reported an increase in the number of acute diarrhoea cases since 15 November with one death occurring on 16 November 2008.

Apart from Limpopo, the other affected provinces in South Africa are Gauteng, with nine cases and six suspected cases, KwaZulu-Natal with one confirmed case, Mpumalanga with one suspected case, and Western Cape with one suspected case.

The minister said the department had put in place a number of measures to respond to the outbreak, including the deployment of the National Outbreak Response Team (NORT) and the Provincial Outbreak Response Team (PORT) in Musina on 17 November 2008.

A Joint Operations Committee was also set up and working subcommittees were formed on the same day in Musina.

Three treatment tents have been erected and adequately staffed and stocked to deal with the outbreak and additional health professionals such as doctors, nurses, epidemiologist and public health specialists were mobilised and deployed to the border town.

Minister Hogan said the National Multi-Sectoral Committee shared information on the current status in South Africa and in Zimbabwe.

"There was consensus that much is being done in both countries by various stakeholders to address the outbreak and its consequences.

"Structures are in place and functional, additional supplies are being provided, Education and Communication material is being distributed, treatment centres have been established and potable water is being provided in some areas," said Ms Hogan.

She noted that there should also be a focus on assisting the people of Zimbabwe to access clean water and to repair sanitation plants.

Travellers to and from the Beitbridge area who suspect they may have contracted cholera should note that besides prevention, the best control measures are the early detection and effective treatment of the disease.

"Recognition of the "rice water stools" of a suspected cholera case is very important. Cholera should be suspected when any person develops an sudden onset of three or more watery stools after being in an area where there is an outbreak of cholera or a person develops severe dehydration from acute watery diarrhoea (usually with vomiting)."

In cases where cholera is suspected, a patient is urged to drink more Oral Rehydration Solution. This mixture can be made by adding 8 teaspoons of sugar and half teaspoon of salt to one litre of safe water and seek medical care immediately. - BuaNews