Zimbabwe faces cholera disaster

A senior official from the Harare City Council has issued a warning that the current cholera outbreak could escalate into a disaster if immediate measures are not taken to halt the disease's spread.

Prosper Chonzi, the Director of Health Services for the City of Harare, called upon residents to prioritize hygiene, stating, "The outbreak is already underway, and our concern is that unless people exercise caution, it could soon become a full-blown disaster."

Chonzi emphasized the need for residents to avoid large gatherings, consuming food from unverified sources, and practicing poor hygiene habits.

As of the latest update, the country has reported 4,672 suspected cholera cases, with 30 laboratory-confirmed deaths and an additional 100 suspected cholera-related deaths since the previous month.

The outbreak has extended beyond the traditional cholera-prone areas, encompassing districts including Buhera, Chegutu, Chikomba, Chimanimani, Chipinge, Chitungwiza, Chiredzi, Harare, Gokwe North, Marondera, Mazowe, Shamva, Mutare, Murehwa, Mwenezi, Seke, and Wedza.

Cholera, which is showing signs of becoming endemic, has re-emerged, starting in Buhera and subsequently spreading across the country, with an average daily increase in cases nearing 100.

Itai Rusike, the Executive Director of the Community Working Group on Health, stressed that cholera poses a significant threat to public health. He identified weaknesses in water and sanitation infrastructure, high-risk hygiene and social practices, gaps in surveillance and healthcare systems as contributing factors to the disease's spread.

Rusike also highlighted potential sources of contamination, such as underground water from leakages in the deteriorating sewage system, and emphasized the need for proper treatment of drinking water from boreholes or wells.

To combat the outbreak, Rusike recommended engaging with religious leaders to encourage their followers to seek treatment when they suspect cholera infection. He also suggested discouraging certain traditional practices, such as washing dead bodies and handshakes at funerals, during cholera outbreaks.

Rusike called for the deployment of oral cholera vaccines in identified hotspots and urged the government to consider nationwide cholera vaccination. He stressed the importance of sustained long-term water, sanitation, and hygiene interventions to prevent future cholera outbreaks, along with heightened cholera awareness campaigns.

Johannes Marisa, President of the Medical and Dental Private Practitioners of Zimbabwe Association, warned that cholera could potentially become endemic. He emphasized the need for authorities to ensure proper sanitation, clean water supplies, and well-maintained water infrastructure with appropriate water purification measures.

In response to the outbreak, the government has banned gatherings in cholera hotspot areas as a preventive measure to contain the waterborne disease. The 2009 cholera outbreak, which began in Harare, was the deadliest, resulting in over 4,000 deaths and infecting more than 100,000 people.