HARARE – A measles outbreak has killed 110 people in Zimbabwe out of 1 482 cases recorded over the past five months, according to a joint government and World Health Organisation (WHO) report.

 “1 482 suspected cases and 110 deaths, of which 107 were community deaths were reported since the start of the outbreak in September 200,” said the weekly Epidemiological Bulletin released by the WHO and Zimbabwe’s Health Ministry at the weekend.

The report also said 77 cases of cholera and one death from the disease were recorded over the same period in seven of the country’s 62 districts.

The cholera statistics show a vast improvement from the same time last year when the disease devastated Zimbabwe but the figures are still a sign that the country’s health and humanitarian situation remains fragile and in need of constant monitoring and support.

Zimbabwe’s health delivery system, like most social services in the country, has shown signs of recovery since formation of a coalition government last year by President Robert Mugabe and Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai.

But public hospitals remain without adequate equipment or drugs and overburdened by a burgeoning HIV/AIDS caseload, while nurses and doctors have threatened to go on strike to press the coalition government to hike salaries.

Non-health government workers have been on strike since three weeks ago to demand improved salaries but the government – which says it is already using 65 percent of the US$100 million it earns per month on salaries – has said it is unable to increase remuneration by any substantial amount. – ZimOnline