Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
08GABORONE1083
2008-12-12 10:45:00
UNCLASSIFIED
Embassy Gaborone
Cable title:  

BOTSWANA: 5 CHOLERA CASES REPORTED SO FAR

Tags:  PGOV PREL SOCI TBIO BC 
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R 121045Z DEC 08
FM AMEMBASSY GABORONE
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 5432
INFO RUCNSAD/SOUTHERN AF DEVELOPMENT COMMUNITY COLLECTIVE
RUEAUSA/DEPT OF HHS WASHINGTON DC
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E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV PREL SOCI TBIO BC
SUBJECT: BOTSWANA: 5 CHOLERA CASES REPORTED SO FAR

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 GABORONE 001083

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E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV PREL SOCI TBIO BC
SUBJECT: BOTSWANA: 5 CHOLERA CASES REPORTED SO FAR


1. SUMMARY: The number of people infected with cholera in
Botswana has risen to five - all of whom are Zimbabwean.
There have been no reports that any citizens of Botswana have
contracted cholera from contact with these patients. The GOB
is carefully monitoring the situation and has been working
closely with the WHO on cholera prevention planning. The
government is also working with supermarkets, citizens, and
religious organizations to implement best practices and
minimize the chances of a serious cholera outbreak. END
SUMMARY.


2. The number of cholera cases reported in Botswana has
risen to five. All of the cholera patients are Zimbabweans
who crossed into Botswana and later sought medical treatment.
The first two cases presented at Sekgoma Memorial Hospital
in Serowe on November 19. Subsequently, a cholera patient
was admitted to the Jubilee Clinic in Francistown, and is
still being treated and recuperating there. On Monday
December 8 another two cases presented at the Jubilee Clinic,
where they are being treated and awaiting test confirmation
that they have cholera. There have been no reports that any
citizens of Botswana have contracted cholera from contact
with these patients.


3. The December 11 edition of the newspaper Mmegi reported
that a public health specialist at the Francistown City
Council, Dr. Paul Nashara, said he was "highly apprehensive"
that the disease might spread, which is why " (the government
is) taking every precaution to see to it that the disease
does not spread to Francistown." Precautions being
implemented include working with supermarkets to improve food
handling practices and working through community and church
groups to increase public awareness of the disease and best
practices. In addition to re-emphasizing the importance of
all employees washing their hands before touching food,
supermarkets have been instructed to wrap all fresh produce
in plastic to avoid it being directly handled by shoppers.
Also, supermarket bakeries are no longer allowing customers
to help themselves to bread, but will have employees assist
in the selection and slicing of bread. Additionally, the
government is suggesting that the sale of all fresh salads be

suspended until further notice.


4. The GOB has been working closely with the WHO on cholera
prevention planning. Press releases have appeared in local
newspapers telling citizens about the status of cholera in
Botswana and steps they should be taking to minimize the
likelihood of its spread. Dr. Margaret Davis, Director of
the Centers for Disease Control in Botswana ,spoke with Dr.
Malefho, the Deputy Permanent Secretary at the Ministry of
Health, about GOB planning. According to him, the GOB is
watching certain border posts and has public health
specialists making daily health visits to hospitals and
actively testing all persons suspected of having cholera.
The GOB also has plans to set up a reception center in
Francistown to handle infected migrants from Zimbabwe if the
situation on the ground requires it, but the Ministry has not
yet deemed it necessary. Dr. Davis' assessment of the
situation is that Botswana will only have a major problem
with the spread of cholera is there are heavy rains like
there were in early 2006. Additionally, she feels that rains
around Christmas could be troublesome as there is typically a
lot of cross boarder travel at that time.


5. COMMENT: Botswana has been dealing admirably with the
spillover effects of the crisis in Zimbabwe for many years.
However, Zimbabwe's impact on Botswana is growing, with
cholera cases being but the latest addition. There have been
stock-outs of maize meal, a staple of most local diets, in
supermarkets near the border as Zimbabweans surge into
Botswana to buy food. Batswana who live in and around
Francistown complain frequently in meetings and in the press
that they are often unable to buy staple food items due to
demand from Zimbabwean shoppers. There is also a noticeable
change in the mood toward Zimbabweans, albeit not a drastic
one. Ther has been more negative rhetoric about Zimbabwe
oth in the press and on the street. A recent headine in a
local paper stated that the border villge of Ramotswa was
being "over-run" by criminals rom Zimbabwe. Zimbabwean
migrants are regularly blamed for increasing the crime rate
in Botswana. Other newspaper editorials have criticized the
money the GOB must spend to deal with illegal Zimbabwean
immigrants, noting that this expense reduces the funds
available for the GOB to spend on its own citizens and
infrastructure. Finally, many newspaper articles and
headlines have shifted to using the somewhat pejorative term
"Zimbos" to talk about Zimbabwean citizens. Post believes

GABORONE 00001083 002 OF 002


that this shift in mood is not yet a large problem, but it
does mark a shift worth watching. Post will continue to
monitor the mood of Botswana's citizens toward Zimbabwe and
Zimbabwean migrants and report new developments as
appropriate. We will also work closely with the GOB and will
report any new developments with regard to cholera.
END COMMENT
DROUIN