18 Aug 2022

The Kgatleng District Rapid Response Team has intensified efforts to control the under-fives diarrhoea outbreak in the district, District Community Health Nurse, Mr Kenosi Mogorosi has said.

In an interview, Mr Mogorosi said the technical team comprising healthcare workers and other district stakeholders were on the ground to carry out public education to manage the spread of diarrhoea and reduce disease risk.

He said the District Health Management Team (DHMT) had mobilised health facility workers to ensure compliance to measures put in place to respond to the outbreak.

Mr Mogorosi stated that Kgatleng had since July 10  to date registered 102 cases comprising six cases of diarrhoea with dehydration, 91 cases without dehydration and five cases of diarrhoea with blood.

He said one death had been registered at Bokaa during the second week of the outbreak, with the most affected villages being Mochudi, Bokaa, Rasesa, Morwa, Oodi-Matebele while some had few cases.

Mr Mogorosi further explained that as per the district diarrhoea threshold, if cases were reported at such magnitude, it signified an outbreak.

In that regard, he stated that district health authorities had  appealed to the public to report cases.

He also advised that any children who presented symptoms should be taken to health facilities. He further advised that families should not resort to home-made remedies, over-the-counter prescriptions and other traditional concoctions for cure.

He said the traditional health practitioners had been brought aboard for collaboration with health practitioners to curb worst-case scenarios.

Mr Mogorosi further stated that so far stool samples had revealed that some of the cases were rotavirus and that rota was self-limiting.

He  called for supportive care emphasising on hygiene practices.

“We have since started awareness messages on clean environment, washing of hands and use of oral rehydration solutions offered by healthcare facilities,” he stated.

He said Kgatleng like other districts across the country was battling with shortage of medication, but noted that so far they had managed to distribute oral salts across the health facilities. ENDS