Improper dumping of wastes causes cholera

Improper dumping site of solid waste at Madisi market in Dowa has resulted in one child being hospitalised for cholera in the district.

The dumping site which is located along the road to Alliance One Mgwilizano Tobacco Growers Association is a centre of attraction to learners of Mtanile and Madisi primary schools for playing materials.

According to the Dowa District executive council committee’s FEDOMA representative, Gregorio Mkumba, one pupil was reportedly admitted for cholera at Madisi in the district after going to the site.
Community members are accusing the council of failing to identify a suitable dumping site for solid wastes from the market.
Mkumba said as soon as the news of the cholera case reached the people who were attending a funeral service at Kasangazi 1 village in the area of Traditional Authority Chakhaza, people had to shun the already prepared food in fear of being attacked by the disease.

“The shunned food had to be thrown away at the market’s dumping side,” he said.
At one of the previous full council meeting held at the Dowa boma, Dowa South East parliamentarian Harry Njoka Chipeni is on record as having accused the Dowa District Council of failing to build toilets in its markets.

Njoka Chipeni said buyers, sellers and people from surrounding market communities are using bushes and nearby graveyards to answer the call of nature.

He added that the Dowa District Council was in 2015/16 financial year voted the best by the Central Government in revenue collection from the markets yet the same council is failing to build toilets in its markets and even a public toilet at Mponela trading centre in the district.

Meanwhile, buyers and sellers are continuing to dump solid wastes collected from the Dowa market to a place behind the Dowa community centre ground.

The Friends of Dowa’s lead Advisor, Mr. Boxer Mnjale Chisale has described the development as a health hazard particularly to the houses which are very close to the dumping site.

He appealed to the council’s management, NGOs and stakeholders to find a suitable dumping site for solid wastes from the market other than the usual drainage which is very close to people’s houses.