Dr Henry Madzorera, Zimbabwe’s minister for health and child welfare, has urged the country’s media to articulate more on the need for responsible authorities to improve access to water and sanitation for communities.
Madzorera made the remark at a press briefing on the national immunization days, which were conducted in Zimbabwe from the 18 to 22 June. He said cases of disease outbreaks are on the increase in Zimbabwe due to lack of proper access to water and sanitary facilities.
“As health officials we have a duty of treating those who fall in, but as media l urge you to prod those responsible for providing access to water and sanitation to do more. This is causing a lot of outbreaks,” Madzorera said.
Madzorera’s comments come in the wake of recent reports of typhoid outbreak in Chitungwiza. According to a recent update, the Ministry of Health says there have been suspected typhoid cases from 2 July 2012 onwards.
On this, Madzorera said: “There have been three confirmed typhoid cases all from Unit L of Seke, Chitungwiza. As of 18 July, a total of 58 cases had been seen and treated, all from within Seke South district.”
He added that water supply remains a serious challenge in Chitungwiza, hence the occurrence of typhoid and other related infectious diseases outbreaks. Many suburbs of Harare, apart from Chitungwiza, are facing water supply challenges, heightening threats of disease outbreak.
