VZCZCXRO4671
RR RUEHBZ RUEHDU RUEHJO RUEHMR RUEHRN
DE RUEHOR #1083/01 3471045
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
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
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC
RHEFDIA/DIA WASHDC
RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 GABORONE 001083 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE PLEASE PASS TO USAID 
 
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