HARARE – Zimbabwe’s Minister of Health and Child Welfare Henry Madzorera on Monday said a lasting solution to a devastating cholera epidemic that has left more than 4 000 people dead in the country lies in local authorities providing clean water to households.

“Water and sewerage failures are the cause of this sustained onslaught on our people,” Madzorera told ZimOnline in an interview from Rio De Janeiro, Brazil, where he is attending the Third Stop TB Partners Forum.

“We are working hard to encourage local government to deal with the problem. Prevention is the only answer with cholera.“

The Health Minister acknowledged the various information campaigns meant to educate the nation on the disease that the World Health Organisation (WHO) says has infected 91 164 people and killed 4 037 others since August 2008 but stressed the importance of ensuring that citizens get clean water.

“Yes, we have educational campaigns going on, but without ready access to clean water and sanitation, this education is of limited value. Zimbabweans must start learning how to demand what is rightfully theirs.“

Madzorera said despite a marked reduction in cases of the easily preventable and treatable disease in the country, the epidemic continues to pose challenges and a lot still needs to be done to stop the epidemic.

“From the Ministry of Health’s perspective, we are doing fine on the curative side. Case fatality rates have dropped to under one percent in some instances, and that’s acceptable by global standards. But cholera continues to be a source of sickness and death in many towns and villages,“ he said.

The cholera epidemic that the WHO says is the worst outbreak of the disease in Africa in 15 years has highlighted the collapse of Zimbabwe’s once brilliant economy and infrastructure over the past decade and also seen in food shortages, deepening poverty and rising joblessness.

The recent success in curbing the number of deaths caused by cholera has been attributed to efforts of the numerous international aid organisations which have mounted an integrated response since October last year.

The Geneva-based WHO that has led efforts to combat the water-borne diarrhoeal disease that spreads through contaminated food and water last week said Zimbabwe’s cholera epidemic appears to have passed its worst stage as figures of both new infections and fatalities have declined.

Madzorera said Zimbabwe would have to continue relying on external support until the country’s economy improves.

“We are relying on our international partners for funding till Zimbabwe is back on its feet economically,“ he said.

Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai, who last month formed a power-sharing government with President Robert Mugabe, said it would be possible to revive Zimbabwe’s health sector to its former glory as one of the best in Africa only if the unity government implemented necessary reforms to stabilise the economy and the political environment.

Tsvangirai said massive resources were required to rehabilitate the country’s collapsed health infrastructure and to woo back skilled workers who left the country for better paying jobs abroad.

But rich Western nations with the financial resources to bankroll reconstruction of Zimbabwe’s health sector have said they will withhold support until they are convinced Mugabe is committed to genuinely share power with Tsvangirai. – ZimOnline