ZIMBABWE Lawyers for Human Rights (ZLHR) implores central government and local authorities to contain the outbreak and spread of cholera in Zimbabwe this rainy season.
Zimbabwe has recorded new cases of cholera in some districts that include Mazowe and Kariba, with one person reported dead despite the government having declared the end of the outbreak sometime in August 2024.
The country is still recovering from the outbreak that killed a lot of people across the country. ZLHR is saddened that the authorities have not learnt from previous outbreaks that are attributed to dereliction of duty by public officials. Cholera outbreaks have brought desolation to the affected families and communities and the nation at large hence the need to put in place measures to contain the outbreak of the disease especially during this rainy season.
It is an indictment on both local and central government that Zimbabwe is still stalked by a medieval disease such as cholera. ZLHR holds both local and central government accountable for the recurrent cholera outbreaks and the unwarranted deaths of people because of their failure to invest in and manage basic water, sanitation infrastructure and public health facilities.
The failure by central and local government to address service delivery issues is unacceptable failure of leadership and represents a clear failure by local authorities and government to uphold their constitutional obligations as provided in the Constitution and other regional and international instruments.
To arrest the cholera epidemic and prevent recurrent outbreaks of the primitive disease, ZLHR implores local and central government to;
- Urgently take corrective measures to prevent further outbreaks of cholera;
- Provide clean running water and sanitary environs to all affected communities and others at risk of infection to halt the spread of the deadly disease;
- Urgently provide all affected people with rapid free medical assistance and treatment;
- Increase budget allocation on water, sanitation and hygiene to achieve 15% allocation to health as provided in the Abuja Declaration to enhance the quality of life of citizens.
- Implement their social and economic rights obligations provided in the Constitution and guarantee progressive realisation of the right to healthcare, the right to safe, clean and potable water for everyone and the right to a clean environment that is not harmful to people’s health or their well-being.
ENDS
Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights
Kodzero/Amalungelo House
No. 103 Sam Nujoma Street, Harare, Zimbabwe
Phone: (+263 8677005347, +263 242 764085/705370/708118
Email: info@zlhr.org
www.zlhr.org.zw
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