Zimbabwe: state of emergency declared in Harare in the face of a cholera epidemic

Authorities in Harare, capital of Zimbabwe, have declared a state of emergency over the spread of the cholera epidemic which has affected more than 7,000 people with several deaths.

Zimbabwe is facing a health crisis linked to the outbreak of cholera cases in the country. According to Ian Makone, Mayor of Harare, the situation is extremely serious. According to him, the current spread of cholera is reminiscent of the devastating crisis of 2008 which claimed the lives of more than 4,000 people and affected more than 100,000 others.

The epicenter of this epidemic is mainly in the densely populated suburb of Kuwadzana, concentrating almost half of the reported cases, according to authorities who declared a state of emergency in Harare to mobilize resources to contain the spread of the virus. cholera and provide clean water, a crucial resource for stopping the disease. The situation is all the more critical as the epidemic has spread to all ten provinces of the country. This spread is attributed to the cruel lack of access to drinking water in the region.

The current health crisis is a direct result of the collapse of Zimbabwe’s water infrastructure. This degradation has forced the majority of the population to turn to unsecured water sources, such as unprotected wells and boreholes, to obtain drinking water, thereby exacerbating the spread of cholera.

The Harare City Council has called for national and international assistance to contain this growing epidemic, but also to rebuild and strengthen the country’s water infrastructure. The current situation highlights the urgency of immediate intervention to ensure sustainable access to safe drinking water across Zimbabwe.