By Takudzwa Josiah
The hot sun beats down on the streets of Zimbabwe’s third-largest city, Gweru – the capital of the Midlands Province. Crowds of people bustle about their daily business, but beneath the surface lies a looming threat that has plagued the country for decades: cholera.
Residents say they are living in fear of a possible cholera outbreak due to water shortages that have hit the city. Some residents in Mkoba have reportedly gone for three months without running water.
Gweru Residents and Ratepayers Association Executive Director Cornillia Selipiwe said the water crisis requires a multi-stakeholder solution quickly to avert disaster.
For years, Zimbabwe has struggled with outbreaks of this deadly disease, which spreads quickly and easily through contaminated water and food.
The 2008-2009 outbreak was one of the worst in history, with nearly 100,000 cases and over 4,000 deaths recorded.
But despite efforts to improve sanitation and access to clean water, cholera continues to haunt the country. In 2018, a new outbreak hit Harare, spreading rapidly to other parts of the country and claiming the lives of 69 people.
The cause of the outbreak was traced back to Glenview, a suburb in Harare where sewage was leaking into the water supply.
As the disease spread, panic set in among the population. People were afraid to drink the water, and many turned to unsafe sources like shallow wells and rivers.
The situation was made worse by a shortage of medical supplies and personnel, as well as the country’s struggling economy. Zimbabwe’s health system has long been underfunded, and the cholera outbreak was a stark reminder of the toll that neglect can take on a society.
As the outbreak raged on, aid organizations and volunteers stepped up to provide assistance. The United Nations and other groups worked to provide clean water and sanitation facilities, while medical professionals worked around the clock to treat those affected.
Despite these efforts, the toll of the outbreak was devastating. Families were torn apart, communities were decimated, and the scars of the disease linger on.
Community Working Group on Health Director Itai Rusike says that the problem of cholera has been persisting for so long that the government should have solved it a long time ago.
He says the issue is not solely about the lack of funding from the government but rather the widespread problem of poor sanitation in many areas, which is a major contributor to the outbreak of cholera.
Rusike indicated that many people are being forced to drink contaminated water due to the lack of access to clean water sources and the use of shallow wells that are often contaminated with human waste.
Today, Zimbabwe continues to grapple with the threat of cholera. As of March 28, Zimbabwe had recorded 231 suspected cases of cholera and two deaths, according to the Health Ministry.
Much work needs to be done to ensure that all Zimbabweans have access to clean water and sanitation facilities. Only then can the threat of cholera be truly vanquished, and the country’s people be free from the shadow of this deadly disease.