Two cholera cases have been confirmed at Thonje Health Centre in Dowa district.
This happened a day after another cholera case from the district was reported at Salima District Hospital on 7th January, 2018.
Confirming the development, Dowa District Hospital’s Public Relations Officer ( PRO) Davie Nuka said one patient has since been discharged while the other one is still being kept in the camp at the hospital for monitoring.
Thonje is the village where the other cholera patient reported at Salima District Hospital was coming from before he was admitted at Mvera Mission Health Centre in the district.
Speaking in an interview with Malawi24, Nuka said the District Hospital is doing everything possible to reach out to all the communities in a mass campaign on hygienic practices and water chlorination so that the outbreak of cholera in the district is prevented.
Earlier, following the suspected cholera case which was reported at the Salima District Hospital, two teams, one led by the DHO, Dr. Peter Makoza and Mr. Luwesya, the Environmental Health Officer (EHO), were sent to Mvera Mission Health Centre and Thonje village in the district to enquire more details of the patient.
It was reported that after the patient was referred, he went back to Thonje village and the following day, went to Salima District Hospital where he was declared a cholera suspect.
However, according to the District Health Management Team which made their findings there, it was reported that some Health Surveillance Assistants (HSAs) are not giving out 1 percent stock solution to the communities despite taking the same from the Health Centre.
Cholera is one of the killer diseases in Malawi and usually causes havoc to communities during the rainy season.
One of the NGOs implementing various interventions in Dowa district, the United Purpose, has been complementing government’s efforts of ensuring a healthy living environment through Open Defecation Free (ODF) campaign in the district as one way of preventing the outbreak of cholera.
With this development, let’s avoid handshakes at all cost. It may look uncultural but it will assist us.
Maganizo a ku Simongoliya!
Kwavutatu kunjaku
so its the handshake that spreads cholera abi?