Ministry move to prevent cholera spread in schools
As schools open today amid a cholera outbreak, the Ministry of Education has released standard operating procedures to prevent the spread of the disease in schools.
In a statement released yesterday, Ministry of Education Principal Secretary Chikondano Mussa said the ministry has with immediate effect banned selling of food in primary and secondary school premises.
She further reminded the public that despite cholera being a deadly disease, it is preventable; hence, the need to follow all the procedures which are in line with public health protocols as provided by the Ministry of Health.
Said Mussa: “Institutions need to observe water sanitation and hygiene practices such as proper management of solid waste, make available hand-washing facilities, treatment of water with chlorine and food safety and hygiene in boarding schools as well as universities and colleges.”
She said school authorities need to report any confirmed cholera cases to relevant education authorities, monitor learner attendance every day, display cholera messages such as symptoms, transmission and prevention in all strategic places at the school.
“They must also carry out general hygiene inspections among the learners every day before classes and promote early health-seeking behaviour among learners and all stakeholders at the school,” said Mussa.
According to the Ministry of Health cholera, which is caused by a bacterium vibrio, is prevented through drinking safe water, proper use of toilets, eating uncontaminated food and proper washing of hands with soap.
The cholera incubation period is between two hour and five days. However, infected people can carry and transmit the bacteria for four weeks.
Symptoms include acute watery diarrhoea, profuse vomiting, profuse ‘rice water’ stools, no fever, no abdominal cramps, and dehydration including loss of body weight, renal failure and death. The cholera outbreak, first reported in Machinga this year, has infected 4 107 people and killed 116 in 23 districts of the country.
