Zimbabwean President Mnangagwa Approves $64m Budget To Fight Cholera

Zimbabwean President, Emmerson Mnangagwa, has approved 64 million dollars budget for immediate fight against cholera outbreak that killed at least 30 people in the capital Harare, a cabinet minister said.

The funds will also be used to fight typhoid which has also hit the city and other parts of the country, Chairperson of the Cabinet Committee on Emergency Preparedness and Disaster Management, July Moyo, said.

It is anticipated that well-wishers will donate to the fund, with donations such as fuel, protective clothing, clean up tools, refuse receptacles, food and water purification chemicals being channeled through the Harare Town Clerk’s office.

He said cash donations should be made to the Ministry of Finance and Economic Development, whose minister Mthuli Ncube announced the establishment of a crowd funding initiative to help fight the outbreak.

Moyo said government interventions followed Mnangagwa’s declaration of the outbreak as a state of disaster on Sept. 12.

“Pursuant to this development, our preparedness in terms of geographical coverage is national, while in terms of response more focus will be on the cholera hotspots,” he said.

He said in the worst case scenario, an estimated 100,000 people, including those in transit, could be affected, but the most likely scenario was about 50,000.

The worst cholera outbreak to hit the country took place from August 2008 to June 2009, when 98,596 cases of cholera were reported, resulting in 4,369 deaths.

msn