At least 17 children aged under the age of five in Ngamiland have died from a devastating diarrhea and vomiting outbreak in the last two months, according to the District Health Management Team (DHMT).
Dr Sandra Maripe-Ebutswe, the head of DHMT this week informed the Northwest District Council in Maun about the alarming situation.
She explained that eight of the children died while undergoing medical assistance while nine were brought in already deceased.
In the months of July and August the District recorded 622 cases of diarrhea and vomiting which is said to be caused by the highly contagious rotavirus.
The DHMT further noted that 120 of these cases were children who were dehydrated when brought for health care. “These numbers are high, usually we record these numbers in half a year, but we have recorded 622 in just two months,” noted Dr Maripe-Ebutswe.
In response to the crisis, Dr Maripe-Ebutswe urged the general public to practice safe hygiene and give children safe water for drinking including clean boiled water to save the young lives.
