Authorities to do more cholera awareness

THE Western Highlands Provincial Health Authorities and the provincial government must put in more time and effort to carry out cholera awareness in the province.
Since the outbreak was first reported in Morobe and Eastern Highlands provinces some weeks ago, there was no awareness carried out in the province to inform the general public about sickness.
Cooked foods are being sold on streets and people are not careful with what they are putting into their mouth and these posed a health hazard to the people.
Mr Michael Wamp, a leader of the Moge tribe in Western Highlands province, told The National yesterday that the provincial health authorities and the provincial government must take steps  to address the issue before people were infected with the disease.
Mr Wamp said cooked food like lamb flaps, sausage and chicken were sold on streets and this must be stopped because people do not care what they eat, whether it was safe or not.
He said betelnut markets near the city was becoming an eye sore to the travelling public because these places were so filthy and produced bad smell but yet people continue to do business there without caring about their health.
He said people were still not being informed of how fast cholera could spread.
He said the health authorities must set up a check point in every bus stop where travellers coming into the province must be checked before allowing them to go back to their villages or homes.
Mr Wamp said people in authorities must act now and stop the disease from coming into the province.
He said Western Highland was the central location for the other four Highlands provinces and there was a big need to carry out more awareness on cholera.
He said the Highlanders’ lifestyle of living with one another and share resources and facilities posed a big threat when it came to cholera.