17 Oct 2018

Kgalagadi North is also experiencing a rapid increase of diarrhoea cases since the declaration of an outbreak in September.

So far the district has registered 192 cases.

Briefing Kgalagadi North District Epidemic Preparedness Response Committee, Hukuntsi Primary Hospital nurse Mr Phillip Kobue, said the outbreak started with four admissions of children under the age of five and fortunately no deaths were reported.

Mr Kobue said the district started experiencing an increase in the number of diarrhoea cases in week 37 and in week 39 when they registered 24 cases, two separate cases of diarrhoea with dehydration from Ukhwi and Ncaang and 20 cases of diarrhoea without dehydration from different localities within the district.

He said by Septmeber end or week 40, the district reported a total of 52 cases of diarrhoea with no dehydration, while in week 41 the numbers continued to escalate.

Mr Kobue said in their analysis, Kang area had emerged most at risk as 60 cases had been recorded, Lokgwabe 19, Hukuntsi Primary Hospital 16, Ncaang 14, Zutshwa and Lehututu both registered a total of 13, Ukhwi 11, Phuduhudu, Hunhukwe and Hukuntsi Clinic all registered nine cases, Tshane seven, Inalegolo, Moselebe Clinic, and Maake registered three cases per facility, while Monong registered only two cases.

Meanwhile, Hukuntsi Sub-district Council, Senior Environmental Health Officer, Ms Unami Japtha-Mlandu said the district was well prepared in its response the outbreak.

She said environmental health officers, in collaboration with Water Utilities Corporation (WUC), would embark on collecting water samples for testing to ensure safety of water supply.

She said there would also be water quality surveys at households as well as collection of food samples from food vendors and affected households for analysis ensure food safety.

In addition, she said they would conduct food hygiene inspections in households, community, health facilities and retail stores.

In terms of social mobilisation, she said the preparedness response committee would conduct kgotla meetings in all the villages as a way of sensitising communities about the diarrhoea outbreak.

Ms Japtha-Mlandu further said the committee would also engage in intensifying health talks by engaging in home visits, especially to families with under-fives and also conduct tlhapa diatla (wash your hands) project in schools.

She said the team would also engage in build a toilet project, since most of the settlements did not have proper sanitation. 

Head of the District Health Management Team Dr Kwiratwitwe Kutungu lauded the committee for its responsiveness to the threat and urged them to continue with their heightened commitment to fight diarrhoea. ENDS