Cholera a medieval disease that should be contained: ZLHR

Writes Kumbirai Mafunda

Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights (ZLHR) implores the central government and local authorities to contain the outbreak and spread of cholera in Zimbabwe, which has led to the unnecessary deaths of several people across the country.

According to the Ministry of Health and Child Care, more than 200 people are suspected to have fallen victim to the cholera outbreak in several parts of the country, while more than 130 people have been hospitalised since February 2023, when the first cases were publicly confirmed.

ZLHR is saddened that the ongoing deaths owing to cholera, which is a medieval disease, are a result of dereliction of duty by public officials and have brought desolation to the affected families and communities and the nation at large.

It is extremely worrying that such a medieval and preventable disease continues to claim precious lives in Zimbabwe, 15 years after the country was afflicted by a deadly cholera outbreak, which was eradicated centuries ago in some countries.

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 governments to swiftly respond to the cholera epidemic by providing basic health services, medical treatment and services, clean running water, and sanitary facilities to people, is an 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 deaths from cholera, contain the epidemic, and prevent further outbreaks;

• 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.
• Seriously embrace their social and economic rights obligations provided in the Constitution and guarantee the 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.