Maputo battles cholera outbreak

2008-01-26 22:36

Maputo - Health and sanitation authorities have reinforced the number of health workers in Manhica district of Maputo province as a way of fighting a cholera outbreak, state media reported on Saturday.

The daily Noticias said in a report that efforts had been stepped up efforts in Manhica district located 80km outside Maputo city in order to contain the epidemic in that district.

St'o Dimande, health services head in Maputo province said most recent cases of cholera had been reported in Manhica and Xinavane districts and added that the diseases was spreading rapidly due to poor sanitation facilities.

"To control this situation we decided to increase the number of nurses who would be attended infected patients in the two districts," Dimande told the paper.

He however said health authorities had also intensified health education campaigns in the affected districts as a way of combating the spreading of the contagious diseases in densely populated neighbourhoods.

It was not immediately possible to obtain figures of the affected people in the Manhica and Xinavane districts but in December more than 40 people were affected by the contagious diseases through out the country including the capital Maputo.

At the time health authorities encouraged residents to boil their drinking water and fruits and vegetables before consumption.

Each year during the rain season Mozambique records hundreds of cases of cholera - a disease which can kill in a few minutes and is highly attributed to poor sanitation.

- SAPA