RAW SEWAGE . . . UNICEF says government must repair infrastructure and correct the water supply (File Picture)

HARARE – Zimbabwe remains at risk of a fresh and more deadly outbreak of cholera once the next rainy season starts in about five months time, health experts have said, adding that the infectious disease had become endemic in a country where sewer and water facilities broke down years ago.

International relief agencies and local health officials who coordinated efforts to combat a cholera outbreak that began last August and was only brought under control several weeks ago, said the disease could probably not be completely eradicated in the near future chiefly because underlying causes remained unattended to.

“We are afraid that we will have a resurfacing of cholera once the first rains start,” UNICEF communications officer Tsitsi Singizi told ZimOnline in an interview.

“Water supplies are still erratic in areas such as Budiriro and Glen View (Harare suburbs), which were the epicentres of the cholera outbreak. Sewage is still flowing in and the government must repair infrastructure and correct the water supply," said Singizi.

Singizi, who said even now new cholera cases continued to be recorded in Harare and other centres, said the UNICEF was already stocking up on drugs and other supplies to ensure it was ready should there be a new major outbreak of the disease.

"As UNICEF we have already begun to preposition supplies in preparation for a cholera outbreak," she said.

Zimbabwe’s rainy season starts around the beginning of November.

The last cholera epidemic, which the World Health Organisation labelled the worst outbreak of the disease in Africa in 15 years, killed more than 4 000 people out of more than 100 000 infections before it was brought under control.

The United Nations has warned that indications were that a fresh outbreak of cholera in 2009/2010 could see up to 125 000 people affected by the deadly disease, or about 25 percent more than the number of infections in the previous outbreak.

To help combat and prevent recurrence of cholera the UNICEF has sunk boreholes in most urban centres to ensure safe drinking water while international donors continue to assist with supplies of medicines and cash to pay nurses and doctors to ensure the public health system is functioning.

The cholera epidemic, along with the collapse of basic services such as public health and education, became one of the most visible signs of Zimbabwe’s unprecedented economic and humanitarian crisis after nearly three decades of President Robert Mugabe’s controversial rule.

A power-sharing government Mugabe formed with longtime foe Morgan Tsvangirai is pushing to revive the economy, restore basic services such as clean water and sewerage facilities in cities but reluctance by Western donor countries to provide financial support could derail the Harare administration’s efforts.

Western leaders promised more humanitarian support for Zimbabwe during talks with Tsvangirai who toured America and Europe for the past three weeks. However, they held back on direct financial support to Zimbabwe until Harare implements more reforms and acts to uphold human rights. – ZimOnline