There are also reports that government is suppressing information on the disease, described by medical sources as ‘spreading like wildfire’. Reports suggest the problem is far more widespread than the authorities admit.
Last week the government claimed only six people had lost their lives to the disease, but news reports say that 20 people had died in Budiriro alone, putting the number of victims who have succumbed to the disease in Harare in the last two months to 50.
The Zimbabwe Association of Doctors for Human Rights say the disease has so far claimed over 120 lives countrywide, and warned many more will perish if government fails to take immediate measures, such as water treatment at household level.
Outbreaks of cholera in the western parts of Harare have been caused by widespread water contamination, including seepage from raw sewage flowing across many streets in the high density suburbs.
A Public health expert, Oliver Mudyarabikwa, told Newsreel cholera was a disease that no longer poses a threat to countries with minimum standards of hygiene, but remains a challenge to countries like Zimbabwe where access to safe drinking water and adequate sanitation cannot be guaranteed.
He said dealing with cholera required basic management skills like looking for the source of the disease and consulting with the residents in the affected areas.
‘All resident should be informed about the disease. All possible media should be used: radio, TV and churches. They should be informed that cholera is a highly communicable disease, caused by a microorganism and spread from one person to another through food, water and soiled hands and other items.
The germ is easily killed by heat (boiling water, cooking food) or by disinfectants such as chlorine. Washing hands with soap and water help get rid of germs on hands,’ Mudyarabikwa said.
Food handling
The health expert added that public water sources should be well supervised to make sure they supply treated drinking water. After treatment, drinking water should be stored in appropriate containers and protected from further contamination.
‘We know the government says it has no money to buy water treatment chemicals, but at least they should run campaigns warning people of the dangers of the disease during these difficult times,’ said Mudyarabikwa.
Officials expect the death toll to rise as dozens of critically ill patients continue to throng clinics and hospitals seeking treatmen,t but almost all medical stocks in country have run out.
Health Minister, David Parirenyatwa said his ministry was working flat out to resolve the crisis, but despite the gravity of the situation nothing on the ground supports this statement, as the government has been grossly ineffective since the disease broke out.
Treating the condition requires only simple measures, but the clean water and rehydration salts required are in short supply in areas where they are needed most. An outbreak of cholera spreads very quickly in areas where there is poor sanitation and where water supplies are tainted.
Meanwhile, the Zimbabwe Vulnerability Assessment Community (ZimVAC) has released a controversial report claiming that MDC controlled areas in Matabeleland South do not need urgent food assistance.
The report has sparked fierce accusations that the regime is still politicising operations of aid agencies. ZimVAC comprises the government, United Nations agencies and non-governmental organizations, and it carries out hunger vulnerability assessments in the country.
There are accusations that it’s latest report was mainly compiled by government officers in August, following the ban on the operations of non-governmental organisations in June.
 Fambai Ngirande, spokesman for the National Association of Non-Governmental Organisations (Nango), said in Shurugwi last week a consignment of food from a humanitarian organisation was monitored by suspected members of Zanu PF, who then took over the food distribution.
 SWRadio Africa