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Cholera epidemic escalates as human corpses are allegedly discovered in Harare water sources
Combined Harare Residents Association (CHRA)
March 09, 2009

The Combined Harare Residents Association (CHRA) notes that there has been a serious upsurge in terms of cholera infection cases beginning from the 1st of March 2009. Last week alone, Glen View has recorded 87 cases of cholera infection and 3 deaths. The total number of infections for last week alone stands at 317 (inclusive of the cases recorded at Beatrice Infectious Diseases Hospital). CHRA has been receiving disturbing reports to the effect that residents are getting infected with the cholera bacteria even after consuming water from boreholes and water sources sunk and provided by the UNICEF. Such reports are coming amid a report released by World Health Organisation (WHO) which condemned Harare water sources as unsafe for human domestic consumption. CHRA has also received reports that dead human bodies have been discovered dumped in the Harare water sources. The alleged dead bodies are said to belong to victims of last year's political violence. The Association is conducting investigations to verify these reports; which if true put the health of the residents at maximum risk.

The Combined Harare Residents Association has always been very skeptical about the exclusionist approach to addressing the cholera crisis; adopted as a cover up by the previous Government. Unfortunately the UNICEF and other aid agencies seem to have been roped into this kind of an approach. CHRA and other civic organizations are of the view that the Government must allow all stakeholders access to information and the infected communities. The current position crafted by the previous Government is such that all efforts to address cholera must be conducted through the Ministry of Health and Child Welfare. This has made it extremely difficult for various other organizations to access information and resources which would have been of assistance to the suffering masses. The Combined Harare Residents Association has since written to the newly appointed Minister of Health advising him to change this position and allow more assistance to the victims of the cholera epidemic.

CHRA will continue to monitor the cholera crisis and do all it can to assists its membership as well as residents.

Visit the CHRA fact sheet

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