04 Sep 2016

Ngami District Health Management Team (DHMT) acting head, Dr Maxwell Mungisi says the team has intensified measures to curb diarrhea for under-fives.

One of the measures, Dr Mungisi said, was to  make it compulsory for the mothers of under-fives to be given oral rehydration salts (ORS) and zinc sulphate to ease consequences of dehydration, a common cause of diarrhea related deaths.

The medical practitioner had earlier informed the Maun Administration Authority councillors that the district had recorded 196 cases of diarrhea in which seven children died as a result in the first quarter of the year, while the previous quarter recorded 335 cases.

He therefore said DHMT had intensified public awareness through increased number of health education assistants in the district and increased follow ups.

“So let me urge all to intensify health education on the importance of good hygiene to our people particularly the washing of hands with soap after the use of toilets,” he said in an interview.

Dr Mungisi added that some parents still delayed to take affected children to hospital which hindered the chances of speedy recovery; hence the move to make medication compulsory.

He said 28 cases of Malaria had so far been recorded in the current quarter in which two deaths were reported and that areas mainly affected by Malaria were Mababe, Chanoga and Bodibeng.

 He pointed out that DHMT still faced challenges of people who are reluctant to allow the Residual Indoor Spraying (IRS) in their homes which prevented Malaria mosquito breeding.

Dr Mungisi also said poor structures at the cattle posts were not apt for Residual Indoor Spraying. ENDS