Zimbabwe is grappling with a relentless cholera outbreak that has sparked concerns of a resurgence of the devastating 2008 crisis, which was declared a “national emergency.”
Cases of cholera have emerged across all ten provinces of the country, with particularly alarming spikes recorded in the southeastern regions of Masvingo and Manicaland, where the crisis is most severe.
The outbreak, which has been ongoing since February, has claimed over 100 lives and infected an estimated 5,000 individuals.
To combat the rapid spread of the disease, the government has implemented stringent measures in high-risk areas, including limiting funeral gatherings to a maximum of 50 attendees.
These restrictions further prohibit handshakes and the serving of food during these gatherings.
The authorities are also advising people against visiting open-air markets, unlicensed vendors, and outdoor church camps with inadequate sanitation facilities.
Cholera, a water-borne disease typically transmitted through the ingestion of contaminated food or water, proliferates swiftly in Zimbabwe due to its deficient sanitation infrastructure and limited access to clean water.
A considerable portion of the population, particularly in remote villages, endures months without access to tap water, forcing them to rely on unsafe wells and rivers.
The threat of disease transmission is exacerbated by the presence of raw sewage from damaged pipes and accumulated waste.
According to Zimbabweans, their struggles to secure clean water or water purification resources have intensified in recent times, heightening their susceptibility to the disease. In the past, health workers used to distribute water purification tablets to treat open wells within communities, but this vital service has dwindled.
Residents have also reported the degradation of safe boreholes, which are narrow water wells upon which approximately 38 percent of the population relies for clean water.
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Many communities grapple with limited access to these boreholes, often leading to overuse and potential breakdowns, ultimately compelling people to draw water from contaminated rivers.
Addressing the crisis, Zimbabwean President Emmerson Mnangagwa has acknowledged the country’s infrastructure challenges and outlined plans to drill additional boreholes in each of the nation’s 35,000 villages within the next year.
The present cholera outbreak represents the most severe in Zimbabwe since the catastrophic events of 2008, where approximately 4,000 lives were lost during the nationwide epidemic.
Cholera remains a recurring issue in neighboring southern African states such as Malawi, South Africa, and Mozambique. Together with Zimbabwe, these countries have collectively witnessed over 1,000 cholera-related fatalities since late 2022, underscoring the pressing need for effective measures to combat the disease’s impact in the region.
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