Zim’s humanitarian context remains fragile, complex
ZIMBABWE’S humanitarian context remains fragile and complex, chronically grappling with climate-induced shocks including floods and drought, exacerbated by economic instability and public health emergencies of cholera and polio.
The protracted cholera outbreak started on February 12, 2023 in Chegutu, Mashonaland West province.
As of February 29, 2024, 26 708 suspected cholera cases including 2 723 culture confirmed cholera cases, 71 confirmed cholera deaths, and 498 suspected cholera deaths had been reported in all 10 provinces of the country.
The crude case fatality rate averaged 1,86% against the <1% World Health Organisation threshold.
Determinants to the outbreak are linked to poor water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) infrastructure, regular sewer bursts, erratic water supply exacerbated by regular power cuts, shortage of bulk water treatment chemicals, sub-optimal solid waste management and unsafe hygiene practices.
Compounding the situation is the rapid population growth in urban settings, which has resulted in communities settling in areas which are not serviced with water and proper sewer systems.
This has resulted in the atrisk communities looking for alternative water sources — shallow wells, river water, which are contaminated.
Perennial sewer blockages in urban residential areas have also been noted and with the sprouting of illegal settlements that are under served, this has exacerbated open defecation and/or the use of septic tanks leading to ground water contamination.
An unprecedented attrition of health frontline workers has resulted in a shortage of staff to manage the outbreak. Insights from community social listening underscore some of the behavioural and social drivers of cholera that include unsafe burial practices involving washing of the deceased body before burial, poor food handling and hygiene practices at large funeral or religious gatherings.
The United Nations Children’s Fund (Unicef), in partnership with government and implementing partners, reached 28 576 people (14 749 female; 13 827 male; and five people with disabilities [PWDs]) of the targeted 258 227 people with safe water for drinking and domestic purposes through bucket chlorination, water trucking and rehabilitation of water supply infrastructure in the cholera affected districts.
Through targeted distribution of critical WASH supplies and cluster/case area targeted interventions, Unicef in partnership with government and partners supported cholera affected families, reaching a total of 128 149 people (67 856 female; 60 288 male; five PWDs) from the targeted 750 000 people with hygiene kits comprising soap for handwashing, household water treatment chemicals, water storage containers and information, education and communication materials in response to the cholera outbreak.
Additionally, of the targeted one million people, Unicef reached 246 291 people including 61 297 children with life-saving messaging on hygiene promotion, including WASH practices for cholera prevention and cholera treatment.
Unicef in collaboration with the Primary and Secondary Education ministry provided access to formal and non-formal education to 201 507 children (101 895 girls and 99 612 boys) of the 204 970 children targeted through provision of learning materials.
Additionally, a total of 1 839 children (954 girls and 885 boys), were treated for wasting in January and February 2024.
Furthermore, between January and February 2024, a total of 1 738 women and girls accessed gender-based violence risk mitigation, prevention or response interventions which was inclusive of specialised medical support services within the National Case Management Child Protection System.