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Leonard Ncube, [email protected]

VICTORIA Falls residents are pressing for the restriction of movement of foodstuffs and farm produce within the city and across the border with Zambia to prevent the spread of cholera, which could be a threat to the tourism industry.

This comes as cholera is wreaking havoc in neighbouring Zambia and follows the confirmation of five cholera cases in Hwange town, 100km away from Victoria Falls, which are being managed at the Hwange Colliery Hospital.

Health authorities are investigating the source of the cases and doing comprehensive assessment across Hwange District and following up on some diarrhoea cases.

No case has been reported in Victoria Falls, the country tourism capital but stakeholders are taking no chances and measures are being taken to curb any adverse impact on the tourism industry, which is still recovering from the Covid-19 pandemic.

On Friday, the Ministry of Health and Child Care in partnership with the Victoria Falls City Council held a stakeholders cholera sensitisation meeting to give an update on the disease and have a strategic plan for the city as a preventive measure.

Speaking at the meeting, participants who included residents and representatives of the tourism industry, education and religious leaders expressed concern over the free movement of bread and farm produce brought by Zambian hawkers through the Victoria Falls border saying this poses a serious risk.

They implored border authorities to restrict movement of goods and the local authority to intensify enforcement of by-laws on illegal traders, hawkers and backyard restaurants as well as the truck stops, which are potential hotspots.

 

Zimbabwe and Zambia enjoy cordial bilateral relations, which allow residents from either side to use day passes and Zambian hawkers cross the border on a daily basis to sell different kinds of goods in Victoria Falls.

“Zambia is in the middle of a worst outbreak and there are cases in Livingstone. Hwange District including Victoria Falls were kind of an oasis in the middle of cholera until the beginning of this week when we had cases in Hwange town,” said Hwange District medical officer, Dr Fungayi Musinami. 

She said the death of a patient that presented cholera symptoms at St Patrick’s Hospital prompted health officials to conduct investigations on some people who had symptoms and they tested positive.

“We now have five confirmed cases in the district,” said Dr Musinami.

She however, said they suspect the figures are under-reported hence health officials were on the ground assessing cases and educating communities.

Poor sanitation due to shortage of ablution facilities in areas such as Hwange town where residents share toilets, presents a major risk.

“In Victoria Falls at the moment we don’t have any suspected cases but we have activated response mechanisms and established cholera treatment centres in both Victoria Falls and Hwange town,” said Dr Musinami. 

She said in Victoria Falls the biggest risk was food, vending and water situation.

Victoria Falls City Council has been raiding illegal traders found operating at undesignated selling points to clear the streets and clean the city.

In Hwange vendors have been removed from the streets and at the bus rank where vendors were selling mangoes imported from Zambia.

Mr Michael Ncube from Victoria Falls City Council said one of the other hotspots was open-air worshipping.

He encouraged residents to limit gatherings, avoid mass feeding like at funerals and weddings, churches and schools.

Mkhosana Clinic in Victoria Falls is the cholera treatment centre and has been equipped with beds. According to official reports, Matabeleland North has 11 cumulative suspected cholera cases, six of them recovered and five are admitted at Hwange District Hospital.