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Thandeka Moyo-Ndlovu, Senior Reporter 

BULAWAYO recorded a decrease in diarrhoea cases despite a worsening water crisis which has seen some residents enduring more than a week with dry taps.

Due to the erratic power supply, Bulawayo City Council (BCC) yesterday suspended water supplies in all suburbs with the city centre and industrial areas exempted.

In a statement, Bulawayo town clerk Mr Christopher Dube said the continued power cuts at Ncema and Fernhill have affected the city’s distribution reservoirs.

Bulawayo Town Clerk Mr Christopher Dube

“The City of Bulawayo would like to advise members of the public of water supply interruptions and temporary suspension of the daily restoration programme to all areas in the city except for industry and the city centre. This is a result of the continued power cuts at Ncema and Fernhill which have led to the near collapse of some of the city’s distribution reservoirs,” he said.

“The City of Bulawayo has also been requested by the Zimbabwe Electricity Transmission Distribution Company to assist in power reduction (use of a single pump at both Ncema and Fernhill) which further affects the recovery period of the reservoirs.”

On the other hand, councillors raised concerns over the perennial water challenges that have resulted in diarrhoea in some areas, especially in Pumula North. 

However, statistics from the city’s department of health report show that despite the prevailing water challenges, reported cases from January were lower than those recorded during the same period last year. 

“According to the monthly Indicator Based Surveillance (IBS) activities in place, diarrhoea cases were lower in January 2023 (143) compared to January 2022 (176). This followed the containment of a diarrhoea outbreak by December 2022,” read the report.

The report said four dysentery cases were recorded in January 2023 compared to the same period during the previous year where five cases were reported.

“An increase was observed in malaria positive cases (33) in January 2023, compared to the previous month, December 2022 (7) and January 2022 (zero). A decrease was observed in the number of dog bite cases (33) reported in January 2023, compared to the previous month (40),” read the report.

“However, more dog bite cases were reported in January 2023 compared to January 2022 (28). A decrease was observed in malnourished cases (11) reported during the month compared to the previous month, December 2022 (13) and the previous year, January 2022 (32).”

In an interview regarding the diarrhoea outbreak in Pumula, Ward 17 Councillor Sikhululekile Moyo said cases have gone down since January.

Sikhululekile Moyo

She said residents have since embarked on clean-up campaigns to avoid the recurrence of any outbreaks. 

“Our cases have gone down during the past weeks and we are happy that none of the residents are still complaining of diarrhoea. We have partnered with some organisations to keep our ward clean as we realised that we cannot wait for the council to do everything for us,” said Clr Moyo. 

“We are clearing and destroying illegal dump sites every Wednesday morning as a measure to avert another diarrhoea outbreak. We also have sewer bursts hotspots within the ward and the council has been vigilant in ensuring those are fixed so that we do not have another outbreak. — @thamamoe.