Frank Maponya
Frank Maponya
The Limpopo government has declared cholera-afflicted Musina a disaster area.
The decision was taken during the executive council meeting in Polokwane this week.
Provincial government spokesman Mogale Nchabeleng confirmed yesterday that the area had been declared a disaster zone.
He said it would require urgent attention on the part of the government to confront cholera "head-on."
This will include deploying more resources, both human and capital, to Musina to deal with the cholera situation there, said Nchabeleng.
"The exco has also decided to invoke the services and intervention of the national government and other stakeholders to put the disease under control," he said.
Nchabeleng added that they would interact with the national treasury with a view to making resources available to fight the outbreak.
Spokesman for the Limpopo department of health and social development, Phuti Seloba, said there were 27 new cases of cholera reported in the area yesterday.
Of the number, only two of the Zimbabwean patients had come through the Musina border. The rest had come in through the Madimbo area.
The total number of cases that were dealt with was 688.
"We are really concerned at the rate at which the patients are flocking to our institutions.
"It shows that the disease is still serious in Zimbabwe."
Seloba said the situation was making it difficult for them to target the Beit Bridge border post as many patients were now using Madimbo to cross into South Africa.
So far the disease has claimed at least eight lives in South Africa.
MUSINA disaster zone
Frank Maponya
Frank Maponya
The Limpopo government has declared cholera-afflicted Musina a disaster area.
The decision was taken during the executive council meeting in Polokwane this week.
Provincial government spokesman Mogale Nchabeleng confirmed yesterday that the area had been declared a disaster zone.
He said it would require urgent attention on the part of the government to confront cholera "head-on."
This will include deploying more resources, both human and capital, to Musina to deal with the cholera situation there, said Nchabeleng.
"The exco has also decided to invoke the services and intervention of the national government and other stakeholders to put the disease under control," he said.
Nchabeleng added that they would interact with the national treasury with a view to making resources available to fight the outbreak.
Spokesman for the Limpopo department of health and social development, Phuti Seloba, said there were 27 new cases of cholera reported in the area yesterday.
Of the number, only two of the Zimbabwean patients had come through the Musina border. The rest had come in through the Madimbo area.
The total number of cases that were dealt with was 688.
"We are really concerned at the rate at which the patients are flocking to our institutions.
"It shows that the disease is still serious in Zimbabwe."
Seloba said the situation was making it difficult for them to target the Beit Bridge border post as many patients were now using Madimbo to cross into South Africa.
So far the disease has claimed at least eight lives in South Africa.