REPORT ON GASTROENTERITIS PREVENTION AWARENESSCAMPAIGN IN PRIMARY SCHOOLS

Neno district reported a gastroenteritis diarrhoeal disease outbreak in August, 2024. The outbreak
affected many school going children impacting their education and health. The main areas affected
were TA Dambe, TA Cheku-Cheku and Sub TA Chikalema. The main cause of the outbreak was
lack of safe water for drinking, inadequate knowledge on the cause and prevention of the disease
and poor sanitation and hygiene in households and schools. It was against this background that the
Foundation of Girls Education and Health Network (FOGEAHN) conducted the diarrhoeal
diseases prevention awareness campaign in the schools where many cases were reported.

The activity took place from 6th to 12th November, 2024 and four schools namely; Namdzanga,
Chikonde Model, Nsambe and Kaponda were visited. The project reached a total of 1,873 learners.
The activity was supported by the board chair for FOGEAHN, key government line ministries
coordinators (Mr Sekanawo Kapira-Gastroenteritis Coordinator) from health and education (Mr
Ector Taibu-DEMISO). The other key personnel involved were the Primary Education Advisors
(PEAs) Mrs Queen Sagawa for Chikonde Zone and Mr Migoza for Nsambe Zone. The Head
Teachers, SHN Teachers and Disease Control Surveillance Assistants (DCSA)/HSAs responsible
for the schools also played a key role in this exercise.

The major gaps identified in all the schools were poor sanitation in the toilets, lack of hand washing
facilities, lack of drop hole covers, inadequate refuse pits and changing rooms for female learner’s
during their menstruation periods. The toilet learner’s ratio was also very high. The schools had
no Madzi (sanitation) Clubs to facilitate WASH issues despite the availability of SHN teachers.
Following the gaps identified, the learners were given the awareness (health talks) on the cause,
prevention and control of diarrhoeal diseases and FOGEAHN distributed 15 buckets where by
Chikonde Model received 4 buckets, Kaponda-4 buckets, Namdzanga-4 buckets and Nsambe-3
buckets) to be used as hand washing facilities. Four female learners were chosen as champions to
motivate other girls in the district during FOGEAHN’s girl led campaign in the district. There is
also a need to roll out Sexual Reproductive Health (Menstrual Hygiene) program in schools as this
has been a major challenge in the girl’s education.