Zimbabwe : Zimbabwe receives $4.7mil cholera medicine

Zimbabwe - A consignment of cholera medicine and equipment worth nearly $4.7 million from World Vision-Canada has arrived in Zimbabwe, as the outside world intensifies efforts to help stem the outbreak.

United Nations agencies have reported that cholera has killed over 2 200 people and infected more than 40 000 in the Southern African country, where the health and sanitation systems have collapsed due to an economic crisis.

Speaking soon after delivery of the goods at Harare International Airport on Wednesday, World Vision cholera manager Wilfred Sikukula said the drugs and equipment would benefit at least two million people over a period of three months in 29 districts across the country.

He said the target population were children who are the most vulnerable.

"It could not have been done this quickly without the help of the Canadian International Development Agency in partnership with World Vision-Canada. We really appreciate the work being done by our partners in assisting to combat the outbreak in Zimbabwe," Mr Sikukula said

Meanwhile, a fresh cholera outbreak has hit the mining town of Mashava in Masvingo Province amid reports that the disease had claimed nine more lives in the province over the past seven days. This brings the provincial death toll to 110 since the outbreak began in August.

New reports of cholera were reported at Bossmine near King Mine in Mashava on Wednesday and health officials were busy deploying teams to raise awareness in the affected districts.

Masvingo provincial health promotion officer Kenneth Kasima confirmed the nine fatalities, but said the situation was under control. He said the hardest hit district was Bikita with Mashava recording a fresh outbreak of the deadly but treatable disease. - BuaNews-Xinhua