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CHOLERA, DIARRHEA AND DYSENTERY UPDATE 2009 (07): AFRICA
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In this update:
[1] Dysentery - Uganda (Kisoro)
[2] Cholera - South Africa (Limpopo)
[3] Cholera - Tanzania (Tanga)

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[1] Dysentery - Uganda (Kisoro)
Date: Tue 3 Nov 2009
Source: AllAfrica, The Monitor report [edited]
http://allafrica.com/stories/200911030099.html


Uganda: 500 in Kisoro at risk of dysentery
------------------------------------------
About 500 people in Bunagaga Parish, Kisoro District are at a risk of
[contracting] dysentery and other waterborne diseases, according to
an official. The manager of South Western Umbrella of Water and
Sanitation, Mr Julius Byamugisha, said yesterday [2 Nov 2009] that
the Swiss-based Sole Bonei International (SBI), the company
constructing the Kabale-Kisoro Road, destroyed a 4 km [2.5 mi]
gravity water flow system and failed to repair it. He said the
gravity flow system was destroyed in July [2009] and the entire
pipeline worth UGX 150 million [approx USD 80 000] stolen.

The system was constructed in 2004 at a cost of UGX 353 million
[approx USD 190 000] with funding from the Austrian government in
order to cater for residents' need for clean water. Mr Byamugisha
said he has written to the director of Uganda National Roads
Authority (UNRA) in Kampala, requesting for the re-installation of
the destroyed scheme pipeline but has not received any response. "On
[12 Oct 2009], I wrote to the director of UNRA to compel SBI Company
to renovate the destroyed water scheme but up to now I have not had
any response. Local leaders from Bunagana are crying that there is a
scare of dysentery because the people are currently using dirty water
collected from ponds," Mr Byamugisha told Daily Monitor yesterday [2
Nov 2009]. The Kisoro chief administrative officer, Mr David Lubuuka,
said his water officer reported the case to the Kisoro Police Station
and alleged they established that SBI employees allegedly stole the
pipes after excavating them from the ground.

About 300 Congolese nationals living near the Ugandan-Congo border
and about 500 Ugandans living in Bunagana Parish have been benefiting
from the scheme. Construction on the UGX 15 billion [approx USD 8
million] road was supposed to end in May 2010 but works stalled due
to lack of UGX 3 billion [approx USD 1.6 million] required for
advance payment to the contractor. With the start of the rains that
are expected to stop later this month [November 2009], several
districts have been hit with waterborne diseases like cholera.

[Byline: Robert Muhereza]

--
Communicated by:
ProMED-EAFR


[Kisoro district is located in south western Uganda and can be
located on the ProMED/Health map of Uganda at
http://healthmap.org/r/00ZR and the administrative map of the country at
http://www.coetzee-uganda.com/index_files/District_Map_of_Uganda.htm.
- Mod.JFW]

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[2] Cholera - South Africa (Limpopo)
Date: Wed 4 Nov 2009
Source: IOL (Independent Online, South Africa), South African Press
Association (SAPA) report [edited]
http://www.iol.co.za/index.php?from=rss_Development&set_id=1&click_id=124&art_id=nw20091104105348358C816025


Polokwane fights cholera
------------------------
The Capricorn District municipality in Polokwane has budgeted ZAR 30
million [approx USD 4 million] to install ventilated pit latrines in
its villages in an attempt to curb the cholera outbreak. "We made a
commitment to restore your dignity by constructing the toilets to
avert the recurrence of preventable diseases like cholera," executive
mayor Motalane Monakedi told residents of Mohodi village on Monday [2
Nov 2009]. He was handing over some of the 6000 ventilated-improved
pit toilets the municipality plans to install this year.

The toilets, which are aimed at addressing the backlog of sanitation
services in the area, were built in such a way that they ventilate
the odour and ward off swarms of flies that transmit bacteria. The
move comes almost a year after a cholera outbreak plagued the village
situated about 50 km [31 mi] from Polokwane. Among those killed
during the December [2008] outbreak was a 7-year-old boy whose family
said they would no longer live in fear of the bacteria.

--
Communicated by:
ProMED-EAFR


[Capricorn District is located in Limpopo Province, which can be
located on the administrative map of South Africa at
http://www.places.co.za/html/visualfind.html. Polokwane can be seen
on the HealthMap/ProMED-mail interactive map at
http://healthmap.org/r/00ZT. - Mod.JFW]

******
[3] Cholera - Tanzania (Tanga)
Date: Tue 3 Nov 2009
Source: Daily News (Tanzania) [edited]
http://www.dailynews.co.tz/home/?n=5029


Handeni schools reopen as cholera cases drop
--------------------------------------------
Schools in Handeni District, Tanga Region, which were closed
following the outbreak of cholera [that began] in August 2009 are to
be reopened on Monday [9 Nov 2009], after reports that the situation
has now improved. "The situation has now improved and new cases are
no longer being reported in Handeni," deputy minister for Health and
Social Welfare, Dr Aisha Kigoda, told a news conference [in the
capital, Dodoma] yesterday [2 Nov 2009].

More than 3000 people were reportedly infected by the water-borne
disease that claimed 59 lives between August and October [2009] in
various parts of the country, but Handeni District was hit hardest.

Cholera is an acute illness characterised by watery diarrhoea that is
caused by the bacterium _Vibrio cholerae_. Cholera is spread by
eating food or drinking water contaminated with the bacteria.

"After efforts to curb the spread of the disease in the district, the
number of infected people has rapidly dropped reaching 16 patients as
of 30 Oct 2009," she explained.

Dr Kigoda said that a total of 3002 patients were confirmed to have
been infected with cholera between 16 Aug and 30 Oct 2009. She said
all secondary and primary schools in Handeni District were closed as
a measure to check the spread of the killer disease.

Health personnel and medical supplies were rushed to the affected
areas. Public health education was also intensified including appeals
for people to boil drinking water. Health officials urged the people
to build and use latrines as well as wash hands with soap regularly.

Cholera is widely regarded as an epidemic in many parts of the world,
but in some African countries like Tanzania, the disease is [present]
on and off -- almost endemic.

[Byline: Jiang Alipo]

--
Communicated by:
ProMED-EAFR



[Handeni District is located in northeast Tanzania in the Tanga
region, which can be seen on the map at
http://www.un.org/Depts/Cartographic/map/profile/tanzania.pdf. The
HealthMap/ProMED-mail interactive map of Tanzania is available at
http://healthmap.org/r/00UE.

Due to the up coming rainy season for the countries located in
Southern Africa, we see efforts by the authorities in Capricorn
District, Limpopo, to prevent another cholera outbreak in the
district. These efforts come at the right time since new cases of
cholera have been reported in Zimbabwe and the risk of cross-border
spread is high. Therefore, these interventions will go a long way in
preventing a repeat of the cholera outbreak experienced in the region
last year (2008). Similar efforts are being undertaken by the
authorities in Kisoro district, Uganda, to improve access to safe
water since neighboring districts have already confirmed cases of
cholera and dysentery. In Tanzania the outbreak is reported to be
under control, but the response efforts need to continue until the
underlying causes are addressed. - Mod.JFW]

[see also:
Cholera, diarrhea & dysentery update 2009 (06): Africa 20091101.203383
Cholera, diarrhea & dysentery update 2009 (05): Africa 20091028.203339
Cholera, diarrhea & dysentery update 2009 (04): Africa 20091024.203279
Cholera - Cameroon: (North) 20091024.203261
Cholera - Zimbabwe (03) 20091023.203230
Cholera, diarrhea & dysentery update 2009 (03): Africa 20091018.203150
Cholera, diarrhea & dysentery update 2009 (02): Africa 20091011.203025
Cholera, diarrhea & dysentery update 2009 (01): Africa 20091009.202994
Cholera - Nigeria (02): (Borno) 20091003.202860
Cholera - Uganda (02): (Kasese) 20091002.202854]


[Additional background information on cholera is available from the
general ProMED-mail list. The postings below can be found at
http://www.promedmail.org. - Mod.JFW]

[Cholera, diarrhea & dysentery update 2009 (27) 20091103.3795
Cholera, diarrhea & dysentery update 2009 (26) 20091023.3653
Cholera, diarrhea & dysentery update 2009 (25) 20091009.3500
Cholera, diarrhea & dysentery update 2009 (24) 20090930.3411
Cholera, diarrhea & dysentery update 2009 (23) 20090921.3319
Cholera, diarrhea & dysentery update 2009 (22) 20090913.3223
Cholera, diarrhea & dysentery update 2009 (21) 20090819.2939
Cholera, diarrhea & dysentery update 2009 (20) 20090724.2616]
...................................jfw/mj/be

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From promed-eafr-bounces@promedmail.org Thu Nov 5 15:03:14 2009