"Zimbabwe can cope with swine flu"

  1. Posted on Thursday 30 April 2009 - 15:20
    bruce
    Bruce Sibanda, AfricaNews reporter in Harare, Zimbabwe Photo: Shepherd Tozvireva
    Cholera ill Zimbabwe is prepared to deal with the deadly swine flu should it hit the country, officials at the health ministry say.
    life in zimbabwe Photo_Shepherd Tozvireva
    The Ministry of Health and Child Welfare on Thursday said in partnership with World Health Organization country team, personnel have been deployed at the country’s ports of entry to check for any suspected cases of swine flu.

    Harare International Airport, Joshua Nkomo Airport and Beitbridge, Forbes Border Post have all seen health teams deployed there.

    Deputy Health Minister, Douglas Mombeshora said the country is preparing itself for the swine flu. "There is no need for people to panic. we have not detected any symptoms on anyone. Swine flue was detected in Mexico and we don't have many people from that part of the world coming to Zimbabwe. But we are on alert,” the minister said.

    Mombeshora said resources are been pooled to fight the flu. "We are still recovering from cholera and our health partners are a bit stretched , but we will source the necessary drugs," he said.

    People are worried that the broke inclusive government whose health structures are crumbling might fail to contain the swine flu if detected in the country

    More than 2000 people have died due to cholera which is easily treatable with salt and water solution. President Mugabe at a funeral in December 2008 said "there is no more cholera here" but people continued to die.

    According to the WHO, the human swine flu outbreak continues to grow in Mexico, United States and the globe forcing the global health body to raise the pandemic alert level from phase three to phase four, a clear signal of the need for quick response and mitigation efforts.

    The symptoms of the virus are almost similar to all types of flu viruses and the main symptoms are severe headaches, muscle pain, chills, coughing, fever, sore throat, weakness and general discomfort.

    Swine flu is a respiratory disease thought to spread through coughing and sneezing with similar symptoms to those of normal flu. People who work with pigs, especially those with intense exposures, are at risk of catching swine influenza if the swine carries a strain able to infect humans.

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