News / Health
SA screens Zimbabweans for typhoid
11 Jan 2013 at 06:15hrs | Views
As thousands of Zimbabweans continue to make their way into South Africa, SA health officials at the Beitbridge Border Post are exercising extreme caution following the outbreak of typhoid in Zimbabwe.
Several parts of Harare, including Kuwadzana, Warren Park, Kambuzuma and Dzivarasekwa have been affected by the disease.
Typhoid is an acute, highly infectious and often fatal disease caused mainly by contaminated food or water and characterised by intestinal inflammation and ulceration.
Provincial health MEC Norman Mabasa said tests were being conducted at the border to avert a possible outbreak.
"This is not routine check, but when symptoms are detected, a person is then tested before entering the country as a preventative measure," he said.
The Zimbabwe Association of Doctors for Human Rights (Zadhr) last year warned that the government and the City of Harare had underestimated the impact of poor service delivery on public health in Zimbabwe at large and the capital.
"Since the outbreak of cholera in 2008, conditions in the suburbs have not greatly improved as the conditions that led to the cholera outbreak are the same as those that favour outbreaks of typhoid," Zadhr said in a statement.
Water supplies are still irregular as taps remain dry most of the time leaving people with no option but to rely on wells.
South Africa's chief director of Port Control Jacob Mamabolo said they were experiencing an increase in Zimbabwean nationals entering South Africa.
"When there is a negative development of any kind in a neighbouring country, be it political, social, or health related, that becomes an immigration pull for South Africa," Mamabolo said.
He said they were aware of reports of a typhoid outbreak in Zimbabwe, but could not link the influx of Zimbabweans into South Africa with any fear of an outbreak.
"There is no proof that Zimbabweans are running away from the contagious disease," Mamabolo said.
"There can be many other reasons such as socio-economic issues that could lead to migration."
A few days ago, Beitbridge Border Post turned chaotic with the South African Home Affairs' immigration authorities being blamed by their Zimbabwean counterparts for taking a casual approach to process the surge in both human and vehicle traffic.
Long winding queues stretching for 10km on the roads leading to Harare and Bulawayo have become a common feature in Beitbridge.
Other travellers were also taking between two and three days to enter South Africa via the border. At least 15 000 Zimbabweans are entering South Africa per day.
Several parts of Harare, including Kuwadzana, Warren Park, Kambuzuma and Dzivarasekwa have been affected by the disease.
Typhoid is an acute, highly infectious and often fatal disease caused mainly by contaminated food or water and characterised by intestinal inflammation and ulceration.
Provincial health MEC Norman Mabasa said tests were being conducted at the border to avert a possible outbreak.
"This is not routine check, but when symptoms are detected, a person is then tested before entering the country as a preventative measure," he said.
The Zimbabwe Association of Doctors for Human Rights (Zadhr) last year warned that the government and the City of Harare had underestimated the impact of poor service delivery on public health in Zimbabwe at large and the capital.
"Since the outbreak of cholera in 2008, conditions in the suburbs have not greatly improved as the conditions that led to the cholera outbreak are the same as those that favour outbreaks of typhoid," Zadhr said in a statement.
Water supplies are still irregular as taps remain dry most of the time leaving people with no option but to rely on wells.
South Africa's chief director of Port Control Jacob Mamabolo said they were experiencing an increase in Zimbabwean nationals entering South Africa.
"When there is a negative development of any kind in a neighbouring country, be it political, social, or health related, that becomes an immigration pull for South Africa," Mamabolo said.
He said they were aware of reports of a typhoid outbreak in Zimbabwe, but could not link the influx of Zimbabweans into South Africa with any fear of an outbreak.
"There is no proof that Zimbabweans are running away from the contagious disease," Mamabolo said.
"There can be many other reasons such as socio-economic issues that could lead to migration."
A few days ago, Beitbridge Border Post turned chaotic with the South African Home Affairs' immigration authorities being blamed by their Zimbabwean counterparts for taking a casual approach to process the surge in both human and vehicle traffic.
Long winding queues stretching for 10km on the roads leading to Harare and Bulawayo have become a common feature in Beitbridge.
Other travellers were also taking between two and three days to enter South Africa via the border. At least 15 000 Zimbabweans are entering South Africa per day.
Source - New Age
