The Ministry of Public Health and the Fight against AIDS (MSPLS) declared, on January 1, 2023, the cholera epidemic in the North and Center Health Districts of the Bujumbura City Hall. “As of January 1, 2023, 5 cases are hospitalized at the Cholera Treatment Center at Prince Régent Charles Hospital for treatment and 7 have been discharged cured,” reads a statement released by the MSPLS. Thus, the Minister of Public Health and the Fight against AIDS declared “the cholera epidemic in the North District and the Center District of the Bujumbura Town Hall” and drew “the attention of the public authorities and the population Burundi and that of the affected areas in particular” to combine efforts to contain and stop the spread of this epidemic.
Following this situation, Minister Sylvie NZEYIMANA made the trip, this very Sunday, to the Kinama Zone, one of the affected areas, to take stock of the situation. She was, among others, accompanied by the Mayor of the city of Bujumbura, the Representative of the World Health Organization (WHO) and the Secretary General of the Burundi Red Cross.
The Secretary General of the Burundi Red Cross (CRB) took the opportunity to reaffirm the commitment of the National Society to support the public authorities in the management of the situation. Actions of spraying, distribution of water and aquatabs and sensitization of the population by the volunteers of the Burundi Red Cross had already begun. Mr. Anselme KATIYUNGURUZA promised that they will continue. The CRB will also make its expertise and equipment available to test the water in the affected areas to see if it remains drinkable for community consumption.
It should be noted that the centers of propagation are the Bukirasazi I districts of the Kinama zone, the Cibitoke and Mutakura districts of the Cibitoke zone and 20th avenue of the Buyenzi zone. The administrators of these places are called upon to make every effort to raise awareness among the population in order to observe individual and collective hygiene measures in order not to catch this disease.
Source: Burundi Red Cross