22 December 2008
Maputo — The national hygiene and sanitation campaign, launched ten months ago, has succeeded in creating a series of "model institutions" across Mozambique, according to Health Minister Ivo Garrido.
Speaking to reporters on Monday, he said these were institutions that had followed basic hygiene rules, provided access to clean water, and had decent sanitation facilities for their workers.
Among such institutions, said Garrido, were the Angonia Municipal Market in the western province of Tete, the Vanduzi health centre in the central province of Manica, and the Morrumbene Primary School in the southern province of Inhambane. These institutions had been assessed by the health ministry and were regarded as models. In other cases, the assessment was still under way.
The idea, Garrido said, was that the model institutions would set an example of good hygiene and sanitation to be followed by others.
During the campaign, the minister added, it had been possible to eliminate completely the practice of defecating in the open that had been common in one community in Maua district, in Niassa province.
"Multiplication of these examples will help eliminate the practices which give rise to diarrhoeal diseases, including cholera", said Garrido.
Cholera outbreaks have been reported from eight of Mozambique's 11 provinces. Only Gaza, Sofala and Cabo Delgado have no reported cases. Since October, about 1,000 cases of cholera have been diagnosed, but the health authorities say that the situation is under control.
Le/pf (244)
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