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Sukulwenkosi Dube-Matutu, [email protected]

THE Municipality of Gwanda has banned open air church gatherings and worshipping at premises without ablution facilities.

In a notice council said the move has been necessitated by the cholera outbreak which spread into Gwanda last week.

Defiant worshipers face arrest.

“Notice is hereby given that the Municipality of Gwanda in accordance with the Public Health Act (Chapter 15:09) has with immediate effect banned all open air church gatherings and all worship activities at premises without toilet facilities. This move is necessitated by the cholera outbreak which is spreading at an alarming rate.

“Failure to provide ablution facilities poses as a risk of open defecation during religious gatherings and meetings leading to the spread of communicable diseases. Let’s all unite and help each other in the fight against cholera,” reads the notice.

Zimbabwe has been experiencing a cholera outbreak since February last year recording 18 332 suspected cholera cases and 329 suspected deaths. About 2 145 cases and 71 deaths have confirmed as cholera related.

The first cholera outbreak in the country was recorded in Chegutu town, Mashonaland West Province on February 12 last year.

Matabeleland South province recorded its first Cholera case in March last year in Kwalu area in Beitbridge Urban. The province recorded its last case in September last year. Under the current outbreak the first cases were reported in Mazunga area on December 15 last year with two deaths being recorded. The outbreak was reported in Gwanda urban on January 11.

Government has put in place measures that seek to strengthen systems as part of its effort to address the current cholera outbreak in the short and long term.

These include putting water, hygiene and sanitation (WASH) infrastructure to ensure that communities have access to safe drinking water and basic sanitation.

Health and Child Care Permanent Secretary Dr Aspect Maunganidze said the Government was seized with addressing the determinants and drivers of cholera including perennial water shortages, breakdown of sanitation infrastructure, improving water and sanitation coverages and enforcement of city by laws.

The Ministry is also conducting community event based surveillance training along the migration corridors in Masvingo, Bulawayo and Matabeleland South provinces. Health education on cholera prevention and control measures including hygiene promotion is ongoing in all provinces across the country.

@DubeMatutu