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Zimbabwe Humanitarian Situation Report
UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) Zimbabwe
Issue Number 5
April 30, 2006

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Situational update
Malaria deaths have claimed more than 125 lives in health institutions of Matabeleland North province in the past four months. An average of 34,000 cases of malaria were reported weekly mostly in Binga, Hwange and Tsholotsho. Mutasa district recorded the highest number of cases with no death and did not reach outbreak proportions. The Ministry of Health and Child Welfare (MoHCW) confirmed that the malaria situation was not an outbreak, it is under control. The major worry is only that year 2006 has a general increase in the number of malaria cases and deaths compared to the same period last year due to low sanitation levels (and possibly heavy rains). The Health ministry has also reported that due to a high number of disease outbreaks than anticipated this year, allowances for health workers participating in disease control have run out, which affects disease monitoring and health promotion. Humanitarian partners working in specific districts are called upon to augment financial support to the disease monitoring and health promotion within their districts of intervention.

Avian Flu - There are no reported cases of the H5N1 virus deadly to humans in Zimbabwe, although the outbreak in Africa is raising concern. The country has not yet recorded any human case. Avian Influenza antibodies (H5N2) were detected in Ostriches in Matabeleland province during routine surveillance months ago. No animal was reported to be sick due to the infection. A total of 204 cases and 113 deaths have been recorded in the world since the outbreak started. Migratory birds and legal and illegal trade are responsible for the spread of the deadly H5N1 virus. In Africa the virus has been positively identified in humans in Egypt with (12 cases, 4 deaths).

Cholera - According to the Ministry of Health and Child Welfare, no new cholera case was reported from the affected areas since the 25/04/06 cholera update. The cholera situation is said to be under control at the moment but there is no complete break of the outbreak as yet. Surveillance is continuing in Kariba district. On 30 April, WFP ended its vulnerable group feeding programme as planned, due to the ongoing harvest. The programme, implemented in partnership with 11 Cooperating Partner NGOs, has been providing 3.6 million people with a monthly food ration. The Zimbabwe Vulnerability Assessment Committee (ZimVAC) will carry out a joint vulnerability assessment with stakeholders in May 2006, with findings scheduled for release in July 2006. The ZimVAC findings will guide programmatic decisions through identification of vulnerable areas, quantification of assistance requirements and indicators to assist in vulnerable household selection. Maize harvesting is ongoing in many parts of the country, resulting in improved food security in most northern and southern districts. In contrast, Kariba district appears to be experiencing below normal harvest and villagers have reported non-availability of maize grain in the market. Local authorities around the country expect a better harvest than last year but indicated that areas of deficit will remain and that populations in some communal areas are likely to exhaust cereal stocks before the end of the year. In May 2006, WFP plans to provide 1,000,000 beneficiaries with close to 7,000 mt of food through targeted activities, including school feeding, support for orphans and home based care for the chronically ill, and urban feeding programmes.

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