Harare - ILLEGAL settlements spreading typhoid

The Harare City Health Department has said ILLEGAL settlements have contributed largely to the spread of typhoid that has so far seen over 1 000 people treated since most of them have no sewer reticulation system and tap water, the Herald reported on Saturday.

Briefing Local Government, Urban and Rural Development Minister Ignatius Chombo and his Agriculture, Mechanisation and Irrigation Development counterpart Minister Joseph Made during a visit to Kuwadzana Polyclinic on Thursday, director of health services Dr Prosper Chonzi said most patients are coming from an illegal settlement which has mushroomed at a home industry along 48th Street in Kuwadzana.

He said more patients were coming from settlements in Whitecliffe and other squatter camps mushrooming around Kuwadzana.

Dr Chonzi said the disease is no longer concentrated in Kuwadzana but has spread to other areas like Mufakose and Lake Chivero. "The problem is that there is an illegal settlement which has sprouted near an illegal home industry in the area.

"We are getting some cases from other areas but many are coming from that settlement and that is our problem now but the good thing is we have not recorded any death yet," he said.

The Herald visited the illegal settlement yesterday and witnessed the appalling conditions the more than 100 families staying there are living under.

The stone built houses have no sewer reticulation or tap water. They rely on water from a stream, which passes along the settlement and use the bush as toilets. Such settlements have become common in Harare owing to shortage of accommodation.

Harare town clerk Dr Tendayi Mahachi said council was not aware of the area and they will look into it and map the way forward.
"We were not aware of that and will look at their facilities and see if we will close it or not," he said.