24 Aug 2022

Serowe District Health Management team (DHMT) has taken a deliberate decision to admit all children showing signs of diarrhoea for close monitoring and to manage the situation.

Addressing the Serowe Sub-District Council on Monday, council chairperson Mr Lesedi Phuthego said children to be admitted include those showing signs of dehydration, those not retaining feeds or fluids, children with high frequency of passing stools and those with co-morbidities.

He said the DHMT was experiencing an increasing number of diarrhoea cases and noted that from July 31 to August 16 the district had recorded a total of 37 cases of children with dehydration, a condition brought about by diarrhoea.

“Currently cases are coming from different areas and Moiyabana village has the highest number,” he said.

Mr Phuthego acknowledged that the district was currently faced with limited stock of commodities needed to manage diarrhoea and vomiting, thus they resorted to admitting children earlier at the show of diarrhoea signs so that they could at least be hydrated with IV fluids at the hospital.

He, however, assured the house that DHMT was managing the situation and had started sensitising the community on maintaining hygiene and to always boil drinking water for children, especially in areas prone to water shortage.

He said 36 stool samples were tested for rota virus and 19 samples tested positive.

Mr Phuthego said though that may be the case, still they could not conclude that the diarrhoea was caused by the rota virus because only a few samples were tested.

He said the district would have to scale up testing to be able to make such a conclusion.  

On other issues, Serowe Administrative Authority (SAA) will host Mr and Miss RADP beauty pageant and fashion show on August 26 at Serowe’s Lady Khama Hall.

Mr Phuthego extended gratitude to those who made donations towards the pageant and fashion show.

Asphalt Botswana pledged P86 450 and BPC Morupule A donated P10 000.

“Mobilisation at villages has been done and the contestants are in a boot camp, which started on  August 15 and will end on the day of the pageant” he stated.

He urged all to buy tickets and attend in masses. ENDS