Government responsible for spread of cholera

By Tererai Karimakwenda
10 January 2006

The state controlled Herald newspaper reports that the government on Monday banned the public sale of fish and all meat products in an attempt to control the spread of cholera across the country. The fruit and vegetable market at Mbare Musika was shut down with immediate effect and the vendors who are still managing to earn a living selling food are bound to face tough times as a result. According to the newspaper, Health and Child Welfare Minister Dr David Parirenyatwa said the situation in Harare is under control and city health officials had managed to control the spread of the water-borne disease. He then added that Operation Murambatsvina, the demolition exercise conducted by government and Harare City Council last year, had helped to control the spread of the disease. Barnabus Mangodza, chief executive of the Combined Harare Residents Association (CHRA), disagrees with the minister’s assessment. He said in fact this operation has made the situation worse and, combined with the lack of resources, the government had actually created an unhealthy environment conducive to the spread of these water borne diseases.

Over 700,000 people were displaced by the government’s demolition exercise and many are now living without access to clean water. Mangodza said these people originally had access to some clean water in the backyards where they were living, but now had to source water from unprotected wells and streams. He also said the state broadcaster ZBC itself had even shown clips of residents complaining that they had no access to clean water. The city of Harare has revealed in reports that 40% of its clean water is being lost due to burst pipes which are going unrepaired. Mangodza said the councils have no funds or resources to tackle the problem.

The illegal commission running the capital, headed by Sekesai Makwavarara, said garbage would be collected daily but uncollected refuse is everywhere. It’s the rainy season now in Zimbabwe and piles of garbage are being hit by heavy rains, spreading germs and mixing raw sewage with clean water. Mangodza also attributed the health crisis to a shortage of medical supplies and drugs. Cholera is caused by ingestion of contaminated water or food and it has killed 14 people countrywide in the past three weeks. Health experts suspect that many more deaths have occurred at home and gone unreported.