CAAZ joins anti-cholera fight

THE Civil Aviation Authority of Zimbabwe (CAAZ) has joined the national cholera response by donating over 124 000 litres of water a day to Budiriro over a period of one month.

The water will be availed to residents in water bowsers to be placed at selected points in Budiriro 1, Budiriro 3 and Budiriro 5A.

In an interview during an interactive visit with the beneficiaries, CAAZ director airports Mr Tawanda Gusha said they saw it fit to join in the fight against cholera and typhoid following a call by Government for all stakeholders to assist.

“As we all know that areas of Glen View and Budiriro were the worst affected by these diseases, we have decided to come in and give a helping hand and we are going to be having an estimated 124 000 litres of water on a daily basis in three places of Budiriro,” said Mr Gusha.

“We chose Budiriro, particularly because Glen View is already covered. This intervention was also made in consultation with the Ministry of Health and Child Care and the City of Harare.”

Mr Gusha said CAAZ’s intervention was also in line with the company’s social responsibility programme.

“The other reason why we are also here is because it is part of our corporate social responsibility to fight cholera,” he said.

In April, CAAZ commissioned modern and environmentally friendly sewer ponds at Bulawayo’s J. M. Nkomo International Airport.

One of the Budiriro residents, Mrs Agnella Gopie, applauded CAAZ for the gesture saying it was a relief to residents in unplanned settlements who do not yet have piped water.

“Just behind us, there is a settlement with hundreds of people yet they do not have piped water. They still rely on shallow wells for drinking water,” she said.

Mrs Gopie, however, appealed to CAAZ tocontinue providing clean water until the outbreak has been officially declared over.