Health Minister, Harare Mayor tour Kuwadzana as Cholera hits

Zimbabwe’s Health minister Douglas Mombeshora and Harare mayor Ian Makone today visited Kuwadzana township in the capital as cholera wreaks havoc in high density areas.

Kuwadzana has now become the new epicentre of cholera amid new eight confirmed casualties and 30 reported cases.

Mombeshora and Makone, together with their ministry and council delegations, toured the area, including Kuwadzana Polyclinic situated near Kuwadzana 4 Resting Park and Mufakose township.

Zimbabwe health officials say cholera cases have reached 7000 since an outbreak was reported in February.

The first case was reported in Chegutu district, Mashonaland West province, on February 12.

Latest figures from the Ministry of Health published on Sunday show cumulative suspected cholera cases over the past nine months are now 6 939, with 49 confirmed deaths and 142 people believed to have succumbed to the disease.

Zimbabwe was hit by a wave of a cholera outbreak in 2008, resulting in 98 585 reported cases and more than 4000 deaths.

Zimbabwe’s perennial dire water shortages and a collapse of the sanitation system has triggered several cholera outbreaks in recent years.

In some areas, especially in Harare and Bulawayo, people go for months without running water, while raw sewage is a common sight in townships.

The situation reflects Zimbabwe’s national collapse under Zanu PF’s extended periods of bad governance, incompetence and corruption.

Newshawks