CHITUNGWIZA recorded 50 cholera cases on Friday out of the 111 recorded countrywide on the day as the outbreak spreads across Zimbabwe with no solution in sight.
As at Friday, Zimbabwe had recorded 5 788 suspected cholera cases, 38 laboratory confirmed deaths, 120 suspected cholera deaths and 1 006 laboratory confirmed cases were reported.
The outbreak has now spread to more than the 17 traditional cholera hotspot districts of Buhera, Chegutu, Chikomba, Chimanimani, Chipinge, Chitungwiza, Chiredzi, Harare, Gokwe North, Marondera, Mazowe, Shamva, Mutare, Murehwa, Mwenezi, Seke and Wedza.
Since February this year, the country has been experiencing alternating incidents of cholera with Chitungwiza, a dormitory town which is highly characterised by poor water and sanitation, emerging as another hotspot.
Medical and Dental Private Practitioners Association of Zimbabwe president Johannes Marisa said lack of funding of water infrastructure and proper sanitation was to blame.
“There is no proper purification of water leading to simple water borne diseases which are transmitted through contaminated water,” Marisa said.
“Financing is one of the building blocks of a society; if there is no financing we are going nowhere as any failure in the governance system stalls development.”
Health analyst Hamadziripi Dube said there was need for a task force to look into proper service delivery.
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“The government must act, looking at Chitungwiza, for example, 50 is a large number of cases,” Dube said.
“The solution is to improve service delivery.
“Another solution is to improve on problem areas including garbage collection, proper water purification and good sanitation.”
The country has, since 2008, been facing cholera outbreaks, with the initial and the 2018 outbreaks having been deadly.
