Zimbabwean health workers welcome return to normalcy as cholera outbreak ends

Health workers in Zimbabwe have welcomed a return to normalcy at facilities which had been dealing with cholera for nearly 18 months.

The southern African nation declared the end of a cholera outbreak earlier this month after going more than 30 days without recording any new cases.

Between November last year and June of this year, Kuwadzana, a high-density suburb in the capital Harare, was the epicenter of a cholera outbreak.

An average of 90 patients sought treatment at this clinic every day during that period.

"It was so challenging. At that time there were few nurses to cater for all those patients, but later on the Ministry of Health chipped in and we got more nurses from other facilities to come and help us," said Prisca Ndoro, a nurse working at the clinic.

Most of the people Ndoro treated required urgent rehydration and in some extreme cases referral to the main national treatment center. Two of her patients didn't make it.

"By the time that they reached here, it was too late," she said.

Ndoro said late detection is the biggest risk when it comes to the diarrheal disease.

She and other health workers welcome rapid test kits and hailed them for being a game changer in reducing uncertainty in patient care.

"Some of them they even come in a comatose condition. Some of them would not be able to drink or walk or speak. And with the use of rapid cholera test kits, it's so easy to diagnose the patients. So we could test before treating. So we can be so sure that this is cholera," said Ndoro.

At the peak of the outbreak, a dedicated treatment bay was set up to intercept cholera cases at the entrance of the clinic.

Though the outbreak is over, the Kuwadzana community remains vigilant.

"We are happy that there are no more cases. It's now back to normal, but we are still practicing the preventive measures. We are scared because of how badly the disease hit this area," said Sabinah Mtengiswa, a food vendor.

Zimbabwe recorded more than 700 deaths and about 34,000 cases during the outbreak, which stretched for almost a year and a half.

Zimbabwean health workers welcome return to normalcy as cholera outbreak ends

The landmark meeting between the Chinese and U.S. heads of state carries positive weight for global stability and international cooperation, and offers hope for the defense of multilateralism which has come under attack in recent times, according to a Brazilian international relations scholar.

U.S. President Donald Trump on Friday concluded a three-day state visit to China at the invitation of Chinese President Xi Jinping, which marked the first such U.S. presidential visit in nine years.

In a meeting closely watched by the world, Xi and Trump held talks on Thursday in which they agreed on a new vision of building a constructive bilateral relationship of strategic stability.

Prior to departing the Chinese capital on Friday, Trump said his state visit has captured the world's attention and described it as very successful and unforgettable. He also said he looks forward to hosting President Xi in Washington, D.C.

In an interview with the China Global Television Network (CGTN), Professor Paulo Borba Casella, coordinator of the BRICS Study Group at the University of Sao Paulo, described the U.S. president's visit to China as an encouraging sign for the international community, believing that it can help safeguard the rules-based multilateral order.

"The simple fact that they sit and talk is a positive move, and this is important for the future of multilateralism. Multilateralism is being attacked systematically by the United States, whereas China has been stating that this is relevant not only for them, but for the entire international community, for the world at large, which is something which sounds like music to my ears. I believe that international institutions, international rules, are necessary, and the world without them would be much harsher and unpredictable than we see now," he said.

Xi-Trump summit 'important for future of multilateralism': Brazilian scholar