Oxfam warned Thursday that Zimbabwe's cholera epidemic posed a "grave danger" to 300,000 people already weakened by food shortages, as the government declared a national emergency over the crisis.
Government and UN figures show more than 560 deaths and 12,500 recorded
cases of cholera, but the international aid agency warned the situation
was set to get much worse unless international donors stepped in.
"More then 300,000 people already seriously weakened by lack of food
are in grave danger from the cholera epidemic," it said in a statement.
Britain, Zimbabwe’s former colonial ruler, announced a 10-million-pound
(14.7-million-dollar, 11.5-million-euro) emergency aid package Thursday
to provide life-saving assistance and respond to the escalation of
cholera.
Peter Mutoredzanwa, country director for Oxfam in Zimbabwe, said such
aid pledges would "make a real difference" but more was needed to avert
disaster.
"Unless the international community steps up to provide money for food
and medical assistance immediately, the already dire situation will get
much worse," he said.
"With close to half the population weakened by serious food shortages, cholera when it hits is even more likely to be lethal.
"Indications are that more than five million people will urgently need food aid by January."
In unusually frank remarks from Zimbabwe’s government, the state-run
Herald newspaper said Tursday the cholera outbreak and the breakdown of
the health system were national emergencies and appealed for
international aid.