CHOLERA – MOZAMBIQUE: (CABO DELGADO) DISINFORMATION, FATAL
A ProMED-mail post
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International Society for Infectious Diseases
http://www.isid.org
Date: Wed 10 Jan 2024
Source: All Africa [edited]
https://allafrica.com/stories/202401100476.html
A wave of disinformation about the causes of cholera has led to the
murder of at least 3 community leaders and the destruction of 50
houses in the northern Mozambican province of Cabo Delgado, according
to a report in Wednesday’s [10 Jan 2024] issue of the independent
newssheet “Carta de Mocambique.”
There have been 14 incidents arising from disinformation about cholera
in 5 Cabo Delgado districts (Montepuez, Chiure, Ancuabe, Namuno and
Balama). According to the authorities, most of the cholera riots were
led by people calling themselves “naparamas.” The original naparamas
were a peasant militia formed during the war of destabilization, and
which fought against Renamo in the late 1980s and early 1990s.
The new naparamas emerged in Namuno district in mid-2022, and then
expanded to other parts of the province. But instead of concentrating
their activities against the Islamist terrorists raiding parts of the
province, they turned against the community leaders, the very people
in the front line of the public health campaigns required to alert the
population to the real causes of cholera and other water-borne
diseases.
The naparamas, the authorities say, have led violent demonstrations in
which the victims have been community leaders, health workers and
police officers. At a meeting in the provincial capital, Pemba,
earlier this month [January 2024], the Secretary of State for Cabo
Delgado, Antonio Supeia, asked for a reflection on the current role of
the naparamas and their aggressive attitude.
Participants at the meeting expressed concern that the naparamas would
become another focus for insecurity in the province, unless urgent
measures are taken. “At first, the naparamas were welcome,” said one
of the participants, “but now we see that they are a serious problem
against our government.” Another said, “We cannot tolerate this
situation, because tomorrow it could create more misfortune for our
province.”
Supeia said the naparamas “are confronting the State when they attack
police agents and community leaders, and prevent assistance from
reaching the public.” “We already have other problems, such as people
who are being attacked by terrorists,” he added. “The community
leaders are mobilizing the public for the fight against terrorism, and
we don’t want another form of terror to arise.”
So far attempts to persuade the naparamas to change their attitude
have been unsuccessful, and this week the naparamas paralysed the
activities of the health unit in the Hukula administrative post, in
Namuno district. The naparamas accused the health workers and the
Hukula authorities of using a mysterious “medicine” to spread cholera.
They paralysed the health unit and destroyed the cholera treatment
centre.
The Namuno district administrator, Maria Lazaro, went to Hukula but
she needed protection from a strong police contingent. Also this week,
a demonstration against the substance that supposedly spreads cholera
was held at Mecorora village, in Ancuabe district, in which over a
dozen houses were destroyed. The village authorities were obliged to
flee from their homes and take refuge in safe areas.
Data from the Ministry of Health indicate that from October [2023]
until January [2024], the number of deaths from cholera has risen to
25. By 9 Jan 2024, 8878 cases of cholera had been notified. The
lethality rate from the disease was 0.3%. The worst-hit provinces are
Tete, Nampula, Zambezia and Cabo Delgado. A vaccination campaign
against cholera began on Monday [8 Jan 2024] and is due to end on
Friday [12 Jan 2024]. It is aimed at everyone over 1 year of age in
the districts of Chiure and Montepuez (in Cabo Delgado), Gile, Gurue
and Mocuba (in Zambezia), Magoe, Zumbo and Moatize (in Tete), and
Maringue (in Sofala). It is hoped to vaccinate about 2.3 million
people.