Diarrhoea outbreak hits Ghantsi

Correspondent | Friday February 21, 2014 16:17

 

Dr Kempanju told Mmegi in an interview yesterday that while authorities were so far unsure of the cause, the heavy rains that hit the district recently were suspected because use of untreated water infested by disease bearing microbes was common here. Dr Kempanju said more than 30 cases of diarrhoea and one death were recorded between the first week of January and the second week of February this year.

“We have cases from Morama Clinic, SHHA, and Ghantsi Primary Hospital,” he explained. “We also have cases from Grootlaagte, Kuke and D’Kar. However, the situation is sporadic in some areas where there are only one or two cases.” Although the situation is already under control, the outbreak had necessitated a public health education campaign on sanitation which the District Health Team has already embarked on.

Dr Kempanju said patients being treated with Oral Rehydration zinc sulphate tablets that were readily available at all clinics. He took advantage of the interview to encourage parents to feed their children with anything that is palatable

“Parents admitted in the hospital are given intravenous fluids,” he explained. “Thankfully, the situation is under control though we lost one child.”

A mother said her daughter survived the diarrhea even though she had taken her to the clinic when she was so weak that she could not walk. Gabankitse Keekae said her five-and-a-half year old daughter could neither eat nor drink but was loosing a lot of water because she had a running stomach. She recovered after a visit to Morama Clinic where she was given oral rehydration.