Broken boreholes raise cholera fears

Communities from Balaka North Constituency have raised fears of escalating cholera cases as many people drink water from unprotected sources.

Speaking on Tuesday when Pacific Group of Companies launched a borehole rehabilitation project in the area, sub-Traditional Authority (ST/A) Toleza said many boreholes were not functioning, forcing people to draw water from unprotected wells and rivers.

“We fear that drinking water from streams and wells increases the risk of falling sick from waterborne diseases, especially cholera,” he said.

A community member, Kandechele Umali, said women struggle to get clean water during rainy season because most water sources are contaminated.

“We are looking forward to accessing potable water after the rehabilitation project,” she said.

Balaka district health promotion officer Mercy Nyirenda said only 69 percent of the district’s population has access to potable water.

Pacific Borehole Rehabilitation project team leader Abdul Majeed Allie said they plan to repair broken boreholes in three constituencies in the district.

He said they have already fixed 79 boreholes in Balaka Central East Constituency and now they are set to repair 30 boreholes in Balaka North Constituency.

“After Balaka North, we will move to Balaka South Constituency early next year,” said Allie.

Balaka Central East legislator Chifundo Makande of Democratic Progressive Party thanked Pacific Group for the initiative.

“The initiative will improve access to clean water, thereby reducing the risk of people suffering from cholera, which is claiming many lives in the country,” he said.

Pacific Limited executive director Faizal Aboo said the company has, so far, fixed about 7 000 broken boreholes in the country since the start of the project in 2015.

Pacific Limited has been fixing boreholes as part of its corporate social responsibility.

The Ministry of Health cited lack of clean water as one of the contributing factors of the cholera outbreak.