Mbare- IN a case of suspected cholera outbreak, nearly 20 families have experienced severe diarrhoea and fears continue to mount over the quality of water they have been drinking.
In a brief interview with the Chairman of the HRT Majubeki Residents Committee, Samuel Mapurisa said residents have been taken to the local clinic suffering from severe stomach aches, diarrhoea and vomiting in what they suspect to be a repeat of the 2008 cholera outbreak that killed nearly 4 000 people in Zimbabwe, mainly in Harares Budiriro suburb.
Mapurisa said they have received a rapid increase in the reports from alarmed residents since last Saturday who feel their health is at risk if nothing is done urgently to investigate and deal with the unravelling crisis.
The water that residents here have been drinking is smelly, and we suspect that the water delivery system has broken down and sewerage is leaking, leading to the contamination of the water, Mapurisa said. As of Wednesday 29 December 2010, Mapurisa reports that families residing at 11 houses have reported at least three incidences of severe diarrhoea, which have been referred to Matapi or Mbare Poly-Clinics for medical attention, which the HRT had not confirmed by the time of writing this alert. Families residing at the following addresses have been seriously affected;
9B 25th street
21-25th street
21C Adam Chigwida Road
28A Jack Bakasa Crescent
30 B Jack Bakasa Crescent
23 Jack Bakasa Crescent
29 Jack Bakasa Crescent
23C Adam Chigwida Road
21-24th Street
29C- 24th Street
In line with the HRT policy of engagement, the Jourburg Residents Leadership, led by Mr Mapurisa will continue to monitor the situation and liaise with all the relevant authorities to ensure that a speedy solution is found before any lives are lost due to what we believe is negligence on the part of the City of Harare to address the living conditions of Jourburg Lines. The HRT urges the City Health Department to thoroughly investigate these incidents and address the situation in the interests of the hundreds of Jourburg Line residents who happen to belong to one of the oldest parts of Mbare, the oldest location in Harare.
From the narration of Mr Mapurisa, the Jourburg residents require clean water, better living conditions and besides the huge debts they owe the City of Harare, they have no council representative. Their councillor, Paul Gorekore was dismissed from council owing to allegations of abuse of authority and corruption. Service provision in the area is very poor with heaps of uncollected garbage everywhere.
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