Issued by: Department of Health, Department of Local Government and Housing, Department of Water Affairs and Forestry, and Delmas Local Municipality
14 September 2005
Health Minister Dr Manto Tshabalala-Msimang, Water Affairs and Forestry Minister Ms Buyelwa Sonjica, Mpumalanga MEC Pogisho Pasha for Health and Mpumalanga MEC for Local Government and Housing, Mr Jabu Mahlangu, Mpumalanga MEC for Agriculture and Land Administration Mr Madala Masuku, Executive Mayor and councillors visited Delmas on Monday, 12 September 2005 after the outbreak of diarrhoea and Typhoid.
The visit started with a briefing by the Joint Disaster Management Team to the Ministers and members of the executive council at Delmas Council of Chambers on Monday, 12 September 2005 . They then went on a fact-finding mission to health facilities, water sources and dumping site to assess the extent of the problem, which ended in the evening.
Following their Monday’s visit additional tents to accommodate 30 beds have since been erected at Delmas General Hospital in Mpumalanga to deal with the influx of patients. The fully equipped tents cater for outpatients who need to be rehydrated. Additional three professional nurses have also been deployed to the area to assist. More nurses and doctors are expected.
The Department of Water Affairs and Forestry (DWAF) also conducted more chemical analysis from water sources (boreholes) on Tuesday. The tests have revealed no serious contamination. DWAF has extended their investigation to separate the bacteria called Cellmaniatyphi in the water and results are expected by tomorrow midday (Wednesday). DWAF will continue with chlorine-dozing in all municipal areas.
The Joint Disaster Management Team, led by Dr Gerhard Swart, head of Mpumalanga Communicable Disease Control Centre, said during their report to the Ministers and MECs that the problem in the area was first noticed last month.
The health facilities in Delmas first noticed an increase in reported cases of diarrhoea and Typhoid from 22 August 2005 . Water sampling subsequently done on levels of E-Coli and chlorine levels at different points in the system revealed an abnormal “E-coli” and colliform count in a number of wells and water points in town.
To date ( Monday, 12 September 2005 ), there are 287 people who have presented symptoms of Typhoid, and 1406 diarrhoea cases, and a total of 89 people have been hospitals and others are being treated as outpatients. Of the 287 cases, 51 are confirmed Typhoid cases. The number of cases is expected to rise in the next six weeks because of the incubation period.
Intervention:
Since 22 August 2005, according to the report of the Joint Disaster Management Team, different health facilities have been managing the situation through health promotion and environmental surveillance (sub district JOC’s) until it was recently realised that the challenge was bigger and warranted intersectoral approach.
The first Joint Operation Command of the Province, Municipality and sector Departments was convened on 7 September 2005 . Five JOC Meetings have been held since. All stakeholders are meeting daily to address the challenge.
Inspections have also been done in the streams and treatment plan by the JOC team in conjunction with Municipality and Department of Water Affairs and Forestry.
Health:
All health facilities in Delmas are now operating 24 hours. Witbank hospital has opened an additional ward to accommodate diarrhoea patients. Staff (including doctors, nurses, technicians, engineers, environmental management awareness team, vet services, water experts, members of the Emergency Medical Services and Disaster Management Unit) has been deployed from other districts to assist in the outbreak.
Additional ambulances have been deployed to ferry patients from communities to the health facilities. Health promotion practitioners have been deployed to educate the communities about hygiene, water purification and oral rehydration.
Environmental surveillance and case investigations have also been intensified.
The environmental sector of the Department of Agriculture and Land Administration have joined the Municipality and Department of Water Affairs and Forestry to do surveillance.
The veterinary unit from Ermelo has been deployed to do inspections in the various dairy and vegetable farms. Samples will be analysed at Ermelo.
Water:
Two purification plants have also been organised - the Municipality has added two more chlorine-dosing points to deal with strengthening the system.
The municipality and the Department of Local Government have acquired 14 Jojo, water trucks and tankers to distribute water. Jojo tanks are in 14 different service points. A further 10 are in transit from Nelspruit Department of Local Government and Housing. Numerous donations of bottled water were received from Rand Water, Ekurhuleni. Clean water is supplied from Ekurhuleni
Schools have also been supplied with portable via 20 litre containers. A truck from Nelspruit Department of Local Housing has been collecting these daily from 12 September 2005 .
The South African Defence Force has made available a water tanker from Saturday 10 September 2005 . A free water tanker was also made available by Kumba mines.
Recommendations:
The Joint Disaster Management Team has recommended that the community should stop drinking pipe water and drink only supplied water, children should be restrained from playing with pipe water or wading in the streams.
The team has also recommended that a permanent alternative to borehole water should be found and that full water purification plan should be developed.
Contact:
Ministry of Health, Charity Bhengu 083 679 7424
Mpumalanga MEC for Health, Mpho Gabatshane 082 802 4937
Municipal Manager, Tefo Meshack Kadi 083 456 4634,
Ministry of Water Affairs & Forestry, Fanyana Mtambo 083 628 7614