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Hon Chamisa encourages residents to choose responsible leaders
Combined Harare
Residents Association (CHRA)
February 21, 2012
Member of Parliament
for Kuwadzana constituency, Hon Nelson Chamisa has blasted previous
ZANU PF governments for the poor water and sewer infrastructure
that has seen diarrheal
diseases on the increase in most urban areas especially Harare.
Addressing residents at a public meeting co-hosted by the Combined
Harare Residents Association (CHRA) and the Crisis
in Zimbabwe Coalition at Kuwadzana 2 Community hall on Friday,
Hon Chamisa lamented the corruption which characterized previous
ZANU PF governments adding that it thrived on selfish agenda ahead
of crucial public needs like efficient service provision. Also in
attendance was the director of Community
Working Group on Health, Mr. Itai Rusike and Doctor Bonde representing
ZADHR.
Chamisa further advised the crowd that the typhoid issue does not
need a foreign solution to address it permanently, but the power
lies in the hands of the people who are expected to make important
elective decisions that allow for people who have residents at heart
to occupy important positions at both local and national government.
In Kuwadzana, at least 2000 cases of suspected typhoid have so far
been reported. However, when this disease which is termed medieval,
because of its triviality and archaic nature, was first reported,
at least 90 patients a day were being treated but the figure has
gone down to at least 40 patients per day. The Member of Parliament
spoke on the need for locals to practice safe personal hygiene which
should be augmented by consistent and frequent refuse collection
by the city council.
Mr. Itai Rusike
came up with some stunning facts around the causal effects of typhoid.
He argues that typhoid is exacerbated by the failed health system
which also caused the death of over 4000 people in 2008. Currently,
the City of Harare and Chitungwiza municipalities are dumping raw
sewage into Lake Chivero which is also the source of drinking water
for the two cities. The act which governs health operations in the
country, the health act, was crafted in 1924 the same year President
Mugabe was born and has been overtaken by events. He lashed out
at government because of its lackadaisical approach in ratifying
the Abuja declaration which entails all government signatory to
it to dedicate at least 15% of their annual budgets towards the
health sector. The former has resulted in the urban primary health
system being found wanting ahead of the rural primary health system.
City of Harare was urged not to continue disconnecting water supply
to residents.
Dr Bonde spoke
much about typhoid from a human rights perspective. She noted residents'
failure to access proper sanitary facilities as a major determinant
in the typhoid outbreak. Government has taken over 30 years now
in addressing the issue of proper water reticulation in most urban
areas despite a change in the overall economic performance of the
country. Looking back in 2008, Cholera was a result of a failed
state which was being haunted by a harsh macro environment characterized
by hyper inflation. In essence, people rights to health have been
infringed upon and this calls for government to quickly join hands
and address this challenge. Government and Harare City Council need
to come out clear, accounting for the typhoid outbreak because both
parties have been found wanting on a number of occasions in terms
of service provision.
The meeting
that was attended by a capacity crowd of at least 600 people who
came in from Kuwadzana 1-5, Dzivarasekwa and crow-borough north.
The chairperson of the combined Harare Residents Association, Mr.
Simbambashe Moyo was in chair. Médecins Sans Frontières
(MSF) and Zimbabwe Association for Doctors for Human Rights gave
solidarity to the proceedings.
Visit the CHRA
fact
sheet
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