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Impact of health & sanitation crisis on urban local communities - reflections
Tafadzwa Muropa
October 01, 2008

The current sanitation and health crisis in major urban centres of Harare and other urban areas in Zimbabwe where many people have died due to cholera outbreaks bring about underlying issues that should have been dealt with for ages, which include the following:

• the outbreak of cholera in major urban residential areas pointing out to one thing- no serious and consistent follow ups had been made in financing the purchasing of old aged sanitation and water pipes that have not been repaired for years.
• This brings out a crucial point.... line ministries should be proactive and co-ordinate their efforts in curbing the outbreak of diseases and this needs constant communication between line ministries which include ministry of local government, ministry of health and child welfare as well as the ministry of water resources and management.

It has been a well known fact that the Ministry of Water resources and management has not been fully committed in addressing the financing of old water infrastructures in the urban areas in order to address the prevailing water and sanitation crisis. One of the reasons behind such outbreaks of diseases like cholera is linked to the lack of people centred policies implemented during the colonial era which did not take into account the need to plan ahead for increasing populations among the African community. But of course, the reality is that colonial governments ' interests were not centred on improving the urban African population lives, as they were only staying in the urban cities on the basis of providing their labour which would be terminated upon the desires of the business owners (who were in most cases of the white race)

28 years after Zimbabwe attained its independence, the government should have been able to prove that it can even do better for its people. The whole health and sanitation crisis that has led to the deaths of some people in the urban areas, of which these could have been prevented, goes to show that there is a need to co-ordinate efforts and synergies from all sectors in addressing the water and sanitation and health crisis in the urban areas.

The health and sanitation crisis in the urban centres is even negatively impacting on women, children, people with disabilities and especially on people living with HIV & AIDS (who are already receiving home based care where the use of water becomes a major priority in fully carrying out home based care related activities).

The outcome of the negotiations among the main political parties that brought about the birth of the inclusive government is a good sign that issues related to improved service delivery and increase in people-s participation in local governance can become a reality in order to address the escalating water and sanitation crisis in the main urban centres of Zimbabwe.

In my opinion, the alternatives to the water and sanitation crisis should include financing for the replacement of old water and sanitation pipes should be among the first priority for the central government in the 2009 budget.

Increased collaboration and co-ordination among concerned line ministries should be strengthened and supported by concerned stakeholders in order to address the current water and sanitation crisis. Improved dialogue and networking between the civil society, government and other stakeholders is another way of improving people's access to clean and safe water and be protected from diseases that are associated with poor water and sanitation. However, this needs a lot of financing and political will from all stakeholders if we really want to improve people-s health status and save lives in the local communities.

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