News / National
Bulawayo records drop in diarrhoea cases
5 hrs ago | Views
The City of Bulawayo has recorded a significant decline in diarrhoea cases, with 317 cases reported in March compared to 396 the previous month, according to the latest council minutes on public health surveillance, epidemiology, and emergency management.
City Health Services Director Dr Edwin Sibanda attributed the drop to the implementation of enhanced emergency response mechanisms across all health pillars. He said the city had intensified its disease detection, containment, monitoring, and prediction strategies as part of a broader effort to manage evolving public health risks.
Despite this positive development, Bulawayo remains on high alert for various disease threats, both regional and global. The city continues to monitor a range of health concerns, including the ongoing Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo, Marburg Virus in Rwanda, Tanzania, and Equatorial Guinea, and the multi-country spread of M-pox virus. Other concerns include the wild poliovirus type 1 in Malawi and Mozambique, as well as cholera outbreaks affecting several Southern African nations, including Zimbabwe.
Dr Sibanda noted that the city is also closely observing the presence of typhoid and measles, which remain endemic in neighbouring areas, as well as food poisoning, mumps, chickenpox, and COVID-19. Gastrointestinal tract (GIT) diseases remain a recurring issue in Bulawayo, prompting continued surveillance and response.
The council minutes also revealed that six suspected imported malaria cases were recorded in March, down from 15 the previous month. Dysentery cases dropped sharply, with only one case reported in March compared to 14 in February. Dog bite cases also declined to 51 from 84, although public health officials raised concern over low vaccination rates among the animals, with only 30 percent confirmed vaccinated and 53 percent of unknown status.
Snakebite incidents dropped to six cases from 15, though one fatality was reported. However, acute malnutrition cases rose sharply to 93, up from 60 the previous month, raising serious concern among health authorities, particularly as the most affected demographic continues to be children under the age of five.
City officials reiterated that Bulawayo's regional proximity and interconnected health systems necessitate constant vigilance. While some communicable diseases show signs of decline, the city's health department urged residents to maintain hygiene, ensure timely medical attention for symptoms, and support ongoing disease prevention measures.
The local authority emphasized that sustained public awareness and community cooperation would be key to strengthening Bulawayo's resilience against future outbreaks.
City Health Services Director Dr Edwin Sibanda attributed the drop to the implementation of enhanced emergency response mechanisms across all health pillars. He said the city had intensified its disease detection, containment, monitoring, and prediction strategies as part of a broader effort to manage evolving public health risks.
Despite this positive development, Bulawayo remains on high alert for various disease threats, both regional and global. The city continues to monitor a range of health concerns, including the ongoing Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo, Marburg Virus in Rwanda, Tanzania, and Equatorial Guinea, and the multi-country spread of M-pox virus. Other concerns include the wild poliovirus type 1 in Malawi and Mozambique, as well as cholera outbreaks affecting several Southern African nations, including Zimbabwe.
Dr Sibanda noted that the city is also closely observing the presence of typhoid and measles, which remain endemic in neighbouring areas, as well as food poisoning, mumps, chickenpox, and COVID-19. Gastrointestinal tract (GIT) diseases remain a recurring issue in Bulawayo, prompting continued surveillance and response.
Snakebite incidents dropped to six cases from 15, though one fatality was reported. However, acute malnutrition cases rose sharply to 93, up from 60 the previous month, raising serious concern among health authorities, particularly as the most affected demographic continues to be children under the age of five.
City officials reiterated that Bulawayo's regional proximity and interconnected health systems necessitate constant vigilance. While some communicable diseases show signs of decline, the city's health department urged residents to maintain hygiene, ensure timely medical attention for symptoms, and support ongoing disease prevention measures.
The local authority emphasized that sustained public awareness and community cooperation would be key to strengthening Bulawayo's resilience against future outbreaks.
Source - southern eye
