Hwange battles malaria outbreak

Zim Now Writer

Hwange District has been hit by malaria with 600 cases being recorded in two wards of the Matabeleland North Province district.

Addressing an emergency Department of Civil Protection meeting in the coal mining town, Hwange District Medical Officer Dr Fungai Musinami said that although they had not recorded any deaths yet, admission space at the hospital was fast running out.

“This meeting has been convened to bring to your attention the need for collaborative efforts in managing the recent outbreak of malaria in Change (Lukosi) and Kamativi wards. Lukosi area has recorded 634 cases of which 548 are uncomplicated with 86 being complicated. Kamativi has 21 cases with eight of them being complicated,” said Dr Musinami.

Complicated malaria cases are those that require admission with Dr Musinami saying the biggest challenge brought on by the outbreak was managing the numbers requiring treatment and admission.

“The situation is dire, our capacity to admit and treat them is compromised due to limitations in bedding at Lukosi hospital. Our second challenge is that when admitted, the patients will need to be fed and the hospital budget is only catering for the maternity ward,” said the Hwange DMO, adding that she was proposing moving admissions to Five Miles hospital.

“We already have an Opportunistic Infection clinic at Five Miles and we are going to juggle around in terms of staffing. We want to try and avoid a situation where this affects the maternity side. We are also going to need patient supplies such as detergents,” she said.

The Ministry of Health and Child Care is also expected to conduct indoor residue spraying - a control measure meant to target the vector or source of infection - as part of further managing the outbreak. The spraying is expected to begin in Change and Nekabandama wards after delivery of chemicals on Monday.

Last week, the Weekly Disease Surveillance Report showed that Manicaland Province had the highest incidence of malaria with 679 recorded cases while Mashonaland Central was second with 673 cases.