Diarrhoea statistics prove interventions are working
22 August 2016
The City of Cape Town’s Health Directorate is encouraged by the trends emerging from the most recent ‘Diarrhoea Season’.
During the warmer months between November 2015 and May 2016, Cape Town usually experiences a surge in diarrhoea cases, particularly in young children. In spite of the fact that it is both preventable and treatable, worldwide, diarrhoea remains one of the leading causes of disease and death in children under the age of five.
In the Cape metro, the number of diarrhoea deaths in this age group spiked in 2009/2010 and has since declined from 74 in 2012/13 to 20 in 2015/16.
| Financial year | All cases | With moderate dehydration | With severe dehydration | Fatalities |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2015/16 | 31 436 | 4.9% | 1.6% | 20 |
| 2014/15 | 25 602 | 4.9% | 1.7% | 27 |
| 2013/14 | 31 500 | 5.6% | 2.2% | 65 |
| 2012/13 | 27 000 | 5.7% | 2.2% | 74 |
Diarrhoea continues to be a major concern in our city and the cause of many consultations at our clinics. However, despite the fact that the number of diarrhoea cases reported this season increased when compared to the previous year, the percentage of children presenting with moderate and severe dehydration continued to decrease. That has also translated in a dramatic decrease in admissions to hospital as a result of diarrhoeal disease.
‘The statistics are very telling. Six years ago, we lost nearly two hundred young children to diarrhoea. The drop in the number of fatalities speaks to the very exhaustive measures implemented to safeguard children, both in their environment but also to improve the care at health facilities. It also indicates an increased awareness among parents and caregivers of the danger signs associated with diarrhoea, and in addition, that they’re seeking medical help much sooner,’ said the City’s Mayoral Committee Member for Health, Councillor Siyabulela Mamkeli.
Some of the measures introduced by City Health in partnership with the Western Cape Health Department and other role players to curb the prevalence of diarrhoea in young children include:
- providing Vitamin A supplements to children every six months to improve their health status
- giving zinc supplements to children with diarrhoea to reduce the frequency and duration of diarrhoea
- training clinic staff, particularly in emergency rehydration
- having well-functioning oral rehydration solution corners in our clinics
- fast-tracking diarrhoea cases to ensure timeous treatment
- running awareness, education and hand-washing programmes for the clients attending clinics
- taking public awareness and hand-washing campaigns door-to-door in diarrhoea hot-spot areas
- training community workers, early childhood development staff, and informal food vendors about health and hygiene matters
- educating traditional healers about the danger signs of diarrhoea and the use of the oral rehydration solution mixture (water, sugar and salt)
- providing general practitioners and popular pharmacies with a standard information package containing the local arrangements to fast-track referrals during diarrhoea season
- encouraging exclusive breastfeeding, which is one of the most important measures to prevent diarrhoea in young children
- linking initiatives to hospitals in order to have a ready-plan should there be an increase in the number of cases requiring admission
‘These measures have been crucial to our efforts of reducing incidents of diarrhoea, but we can’t take our foot off the pedal now. We’re but a few months away from the next expected surge in cases, so we have to continue working hard and being vigilant to save more lives and to prevent children from contracting diarrhoea in the first place,’ added Councillor Mamkeli.
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