Africa-Press – Eswatini. The Ministry of Health has deployed 48 nurses and laboratory technologists to test the public for cholera in health facilities.
The programme was supported by the World Health Organisation (WHO), which collaborated with the ministry in the deployment of the personnel. The health practitioners, according to a statement by the WHO, started working last week Monday. It was said they were to test and investigate cholera related cases, following an increase in acute watery diarrhoea cases recorded in the country’s health facilities as of late 2022 till April 2023.
Statement
The statement said WHO deployed a team from the regional office to help the country in terms of readiness to the first cholera case that had been confirmed at that time. WHO in its statement said while the team was in the country, a second case was recorded which showed that there was circulation of cholera in Eswatini, more so because the second case was not linked to the first one. “Based on this, the team from the WHO Regional Office recommended that we develop an acute watery diarrhoea testing strategy so that we can rule out Cholera,” said Dr Lonkululeko Khumalo, the WHO Emergency, Preparedness and Response (EPR) Officer. It was said that WHO further supported the roll-out of the testing strategy by providing financial support for the engagement of the 48 staff members. Dr Khumalo said an analysis was conducted to ascertain which facilities reported high numbers of acute watery diarrhoea cases, to inform the deployment of the staff. It was reported that a total of 24 facilities were identified in all the four regions.
“We engaged 24 nurses and 24 laboratory technologists who were deployed in the 24 selected facilities to ensure that all cases of acute watery diarrhoea are tested for cholera. We have also helped in the procurement of Rapid Diagnostic Tests (RDTs) which are used at the lowest level to confirm. If the samples are positive to the RDT, it is referred for culture to confirm if it is cholera.”
Testing
Dr Khumalo reported that the testing had yielded a lot of results, in that, all acute watery diarrhoea cases were screened and tested. Meanwhile, Eswatini has developed a public health handbook as well as Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) to guide the operations of the Emergency Operating Centre EOC). WHO and other partners reportedly supported the country in establishing the handbook. It was said both the handbook and the SOP were validated during a meeting in Manzini last week. Head of the EPR Unit in the Ministry of Health Dr Masitsela Mhlanga said there was need for proper coordination to ensure that the EOC was ready for all the emergencies in the 11 pillars. “The EOC is the engine room for public and thus, it should be well coordinated,” he said. The handbook is envisaged to guide in terms of the roles of the staff at the EOC. Furthermore, WHO Consultant Dr Paul Abiodun said WHO had set-up public health emergency operation centres in all countries to manage public health emergencies.
Emergencies
He said this would help to predict any incoming emergencies. Dr Abiodun said putting in place the handbook and SOP would enable the public health emergency operation centre to function well. “Any occurrence of an emergency will be easily managed because we have the handbook,” he said. The operation centre has colours that help to determine which stage of the pandemic the country is at. If there is no threat, the colour remains green- at watch mode. If something is looming in nearby countries, we activate the alert mode which is yellow, and once we record a case in the country, we activate the response mode which is red. The red colour triggers that all those responsible for responding should start running,” said Dr Mhlanga.
It was said that WHO was closely monitoring the country’s capacity to activate the response mode within 120 minutes after a case had been reported.
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