Government taking measures against spread of cholera – Maputo Governor

Login

Register

http://www.clubofmozambique.com/

Government taking measures against spread of cholera – Maputo Governor

6:00 CAT | 13 Mar 2017

Voa (File photo)

The governor of Maputo city, Iolanda Cintura, on Monday guaranteed that the government is taking measures to halt the spread of a cholera outbreak in the capital.

She was speaking after a visit to the Cholera Treatment Centre at Maputo’s Mavalane General Hospital. The cholera outbreak in Maputo began in mid-February. 276 suspected cases were investigated, but a definite diagnosis of cholera was only made in 22 of these patients, one of whom died.

Cintura said that isolation and treatment of cholera patients was being handled well by the Mavalane medical staff, ensuring that the disease does not spread out of control.

“The staff are well trained”, she said. “We found that the Centre is fully functional and the conditions are good, in terms of the installed capacity (the centre has 38 beds), and in terms of food for the patients. All the required medicines are guaranteed. The patients are receiving fluids for rehydration, since some of them arrive here in a very weakened condition”.

When Cintura visited, there were nine patients in the Centre, who told her they had been well treated. They said they were now feeling much better, and were preparing to go home.

This is the first outbreak of cholera in Maputo since 2014. Health professionals attribute the outbreak to poor sanitary conditions in parts of the city, and the drinking of contaminated water. The torrential rains earlier in the year, which flooded several low lying neighbourhoods, probably played a role in spreading this water-borne disease.

Source: AIM