News / Health
Zimbabwe govt fails to curb typhoid outbreak
25 Mar 2012 at 08:58hrs | Views
A nurse taking care of a cholera patient (file photo). (Photo Courtesy http://www.irinnews.org)
The Ministry of Health and Child Welfare is yet to receive money to fight a typhoid outbreak that has since gone national.
Health Minister Dr Henry Madzorera disclosed that all they have been getting from their finance counterparts are a series of unfulfilled promises.
"Initially the finance ministry advised us to use funds that had been allocated to our epidemiology and disease control department with promises of further funding, but to date nothing has come our way.
"On the ground the situation is getting worse with the disease spreading to Mashonaland West, Mashonaland Central, Norton and many other areas.
"We have been deploying assessment teams in various provinces and we are now compiling the data," he said.
In Harare the past fortnight saw the number of people treated for typhoid since the outbreak began late last year spiralling.
The city's health director, Dr Prosper Chonzi, said the erratic supply of water to most suburbs was worsening the situation.
"The water situation is still tricky because of the unending electricity cuts while the city had also stopped providing water bowsers.
"Water and garbage are still a major cause for concern.
"And people are not heeding our call to stop buying from vendors," he said.
Health Minister Dr Henry Madzorera disclosed that all they have been getting from their finance counterparts are a series of unfulfilled promises.
"Initially the finance ministry advised us to use funds that had been allocated to our epidemiology and disease control department with promises of further funding, but to date nothing has come our way.
"On the ground the situation is getting worse with the disease spreading to Mashonaland West, Mashonaland Central, Norton and many other areas.
"We have been deploying assessment teams in various provinces and we are now compiling the data," he said.
In Harare the past fortnight saw the number of people treated for typhoid since the outbreak began late last year spiralling.
The city's health director, Dr Prosper Chonzi, said the erratic supply of water to most suburbs was worsening the situation.
"The water situation is still tricky because of the unending electricity cuts while the city had also stopped providing water bowsers.
"Water and garbage are still a major cause for concern.
"And people are not heeding our call to stop buying from vendors," he said.
Source - SM
