Talent Gore
GOVERNMENT has approved a US$12 million budget for cholera preparedness and response.
Health and Child Care Minister, Dr Douglas Mombeshora, said medicines and commodities have been ordered from local manufacturers to minimise delays.
All travellers are being screened and an awareness campaign is in progress at all points of entry, including health education on cholera prevention and control measures.
He has called for intensified risk communication and community engagement to include religious and local leaders.
“In response to the cholera challenges, orders for medicines and commodities have been placed through Natpharm, prioritising local manufacturers to minimise on lead time.
“There should be intensified school health education on cholera and other diarrheal diseases, and utilisation of existing media houses and digital platforms for content dissemination be continued in all provinces, especially Chitungwiza and Buhera,” he said.
Dr Mombeshora said the drilling and installation of solar powered boreholes has been completed at 10 health facilities in Manicaland.
The Government is working to address the power deficit caused by energy utility company, ZESA, through operational restructuring, decommissioning small thermal power stations, and implementing power-saving initiatives.
“The current local generation capacity is 1 280 megawatts against the current average local demand of about 1 850MW, leaving a deficit of about 400MW,” Energy and Power Development Minister, Edgar Moyo, said.
“To cover the deficit, the country is currently importing power in the range of 200-500MW.
“Regarding measures to resolve the operational challenges, the Government will restructure the power utility company, decommission and repurpose the small thermal power stations, contain technical and non-technical losses and implement various power saving initiatives.”