Evaluation of Utilization Practices towards Cholera Response Water Tanks among Residents: A Case Study of Lusaka District

Cholera outbreaks generally occur when water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) services are inadequate or compromised. Annual estimates stand at 2.9 million cases and 95,000 deaths across 69 cholera-endemic countries with Sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia leading on the global cholera morbidity and mortality rates. Zambia continues to report higher morbidity and mortality with each recurrent outbreak. This raises concern on the impact of available interventions. This study was cross-sectional and employed qualitative evaluative techniques. Thirty (30) Focus Group Discussions (FGDs) supplemented with field notes by researchers) were conducted with 14 participants in each group drawn from 2 epi-centers i.e. Matero and Kanyama Sub-districts which accounted for over 70% of mortalities and morbidities. These epi-centers received 107 water tanks from authorities. The study found that residents were aware of the outbreak and attributed it to hygiene standards in the community while citing poor waste management and unsafe drinking water sources. The study also found poor WASH practices which included inability to perform correct hand hygiene during water collection, use of uncovered buckets and allowing children at the water points. Residents accessed the cholera response tanks and appreciated the intervention the government had put in place. Among the uses of the water from the tanks, residents preferred the water from cholera response tanks as they noted it tasted like mineral water. However, the water was prominently used for bathing highlighting that it made their skin smooth. The study also noted erratic supply as tanks ran out of water within 24hrs and it took an average of 4 days to refill the tanks. The study concluded that this intervention was appreciated, however, due to poor hygiene standards and erratic supply of water, the intended result could not be realized. The study recommends long term solutions such as drilling of boreholes alongside the tanks as well as repairing existing supply networks to water kiosks with consistency in water supply by utility companies.