K

asungu District Hospital disease surveillance and response coordinator Chrispine Thom has bemoaned erratic water supply in the municipality, fearing it may affect the fight against the cholera outbreak.

His sentiment follows the rise in cholera cases as the district hospital has registered 20 within 14 days.

Speaking in an interview on Monday, Thom said the water shortage could affect the fight against the outbreak.

Said Thom: “We were on the verge of containing the outbreak as we have been implementing Tithetse Kolera Campaign in the past weeks. Unfortunately, the district has registered 20 cases.

Banda: We need help

“We are afraid that the intermittent water supply will make it difficult for people to practise personal hygiene.”

Kasungu district environmental health officer Rudolf Banda appealed for more support from partners in the district to fight the disease.

“We ask partners to help us with resources to reach remote areas with cholera and Covid-19 messages,” he said.

Banda said people also need chlorine to stay safe from the disease.

Kasungu resident Chipiliro Phiri said the Tithetse Kolera Campaign was instrumental in the fight against the outbreak as it addressed myths and misinformation surrounding the disease.

Kasungu Municipality is experiencing water shortages clocking a week now due to erratic power supply.

The district has cumulatively registered 57 cholera cases and six deaths.

In a bid to contain the further spread of the outbreak, President Lazarus Chakwera launched Tithetse Kolera Campaign last month in Lilongwe.

The campaign, which ran for two weeks, also sought to encourage people to receive Covid-19 vaccine.

Despite the country registering a decrease in cholera cases, the Ministry of Health encourages people not to relax prevention measures.

The post Erratic water supply affects cholera fight first appeared on The Nation Online.