20002001 Cholera Outbreak in the City of Blantyre

1
2000-2001 Cholera Outbreak in the City of Blantyre

• During the 2000 2001 period the City of
  Blantyre faced a serious cholera outbreak
  resulting in 900 reported cases
  
• This affected BCA Hill area (squatter), Ndirande,
  Bangwe and Mbayani areas
  
• Attributed to lack of access to potable water and
  poor sanitation.
  
• As public health authority city has mandate to
  disseminate information about cholera outbreaks
  in the city
  

2
Institutional mandate

• The City of Blantyre derives its mandate from the
  Public Health Act, Local Government Act and
  various sanitary by-laws in place
  
• The City work closely with the Min of Health
  personnel including release of messages on
  cholera
  
• The City faces serious financial problems (20 of
  popn providing resources for 80)

3
Quality of Information in the Ex-Post
Investigation

• The City in consultation with the Min of Health
  and development partners came up with an
  Emergency Preparedness Plan
  
• The plan includes outreach methods

4
Availability of Information

• Like most public institutions, the City does not
  operate a website on which information about
  cholera can be accessed
  
• The city, however, has made efforts to engage the
  media, its health personnel in disseminating
  information on cholera
  
• Press releases in print media have proved too
  expensive
  
• Adopted are awareness campaigns, door-to-door
  campaigns, pamphlets and posting information on
  public notice boards

5
Blantyre Water Board

• Started as Mudi River Water Board in 1929
• In 1966 became Blantyre Water Board
• Supplies potable water to about 1 million people
  in the City of BT, Lunzu, Chileka, Bvumbwe,
  Mpemba, CZ
  

6
Institutional Mandate

• Derives mandate from the Waterworks Act (1996)
• Focus is on the provision of potable water to the
  city of Blantyre
  
• The Board is also supposed to assume
  responsibilities over waterborne sanitation
  
• The mandate involves provision of information on
  water quality

7
Monitoring of water quality

• The Board monitors water quality for fitness for
  human consumption
  
• Parameters monitored are physical, chemical and
  bacterialogical
  
• Other parameters such as helmiths, protozoa are
  not monitored
  
• Monitoring done daily from a minimum of 12 samples

8
Access to water quality information

• The Board posts water monitoring data on its
  public notice board daily
  
• The other information is provided on need be
  basis
  
• Sensitive information requires the consent of the
  GM before dissemination
  
• The Board has not been pro-active in checking the
  reticulation system (e.g Ndirande incidence)
  

9
Uniliver SEA Ltd

• This is a private sector entity manufacturing
  soaps / detergents, oils, jellies and foods
  
• It is a multinational company
• The conduct of company is dictated by the
  corporate policy on environment
  
• It has established a fully fledged Safety Health
  and Environment Department

10
Institutional Mandate

• Under the EMA, it is required to make available
  compliance reports
  
• The Companys corporate policy requires that all
  branches maintain daily reports and a register of
  pollutant releases into the environment
  

11
Restrictions and Confidentiality

• The company makes reports publicly available
  including posting on the internet
  
• Restrictions exist on proprietary information

12
Information dissemination

• The community are welcome to the SHE Dept for
  information
  
• The internet provides further data
• The data relates to wastes of oil, wastewater,
  foods, soaps and detergents and hazardous
  substances
  
• The company conducts media days once in a while
• Salesmen offer another route for dissemination of
  information

13
Timeliness and Quality of Information

• Generally information is available daily
• The exception is on gaseous emissions due to
  equipment breakdown