RUSAPE - Members of the Johanne Marange Apostolic Church are refusing treatment to combat a deadly measles outbreak risking their own lives and those of their children.The outbreak ha swreaked havoc in Nyazuras Nzvimbe area, killing at least 40 people, mostly vulnerable children and female members of the sect.
We are going to enhance our mobility and this would enable us to embark on aggressive door-to-door campaigns to rescue the affected children, said Dyeline Mucheka, who works with the district health team.
A Rusape based humanitarian organisation, GOAL, has stepped up efforts to fight the disease, and is supplying nutritional supplements and transport.
The Provincial Manager for GOAL, Funny Nyaunga, said: We have put mechanisms to ensure that all admitted patients get recommended nutritional supplements to boost their immune system.
We have moved in to assist the affected families with perishables like maize-meal, bread, milk and sugar, he said.
Religious and cultural beliefs, along with transport problems, have been cited as the major challenges facing emergency health interventions to combat the spread of the viral disease.
The spread of measles was accelerating in Villages 3, 4, 9 and 12, where health sources said mortality statistics could be much higher than projected, as church members could be dying at home and arranging speedy burials.
Members of the Apostolic Church, who dominate the area, are allegedly refusing to take treatment on the basis of their religious beliefs and are accused of fleeing with patients to secluded places, where they treat them with holy water.
All other churches, except Mapostori ekwa Johanne Marange are co-operative. Vapositori are dying in large numbers and this negatively impacts on the whole community. I want to appeal to them to seek treatment and those who refuse may be punished as it puts the lives of mostly their children, on the wire, said village head Chikore Matide.
Measles is a highly communicable disease and its symptoms include drowsiness, loss of appetite, gradual elevation of temperature for the first two days, body rash on the inner cheek, high fever, a swollen, mottled appearance and coughing.
Post published in: Politics