The Government of Zimbabwe has officially declared the end of a cholera outbreak that began on February 12, 2023, following four consecutive weeks with no new cases reported, according to the Ministry of Health and Child Care (MoHCC).
The declaration, communicated to the World Health Organization (WHO) by Permanent Secretary Dr. Aspect Maunganidze, comes after a challenging 18-month battle against the outbreak that affected all ten provinces and 62 districts, resulting in a total of 34,549 suspected cholera cases, of which 4,217 were confirmed, alongside 718 reported de_ths.
The successful containment of the outbreak was achieved through the implementation of multi-faceted interventions, including the establishment of cholera treatment centers, training of over 4,000 health workers, and coordinated efforts to enhance surveillance, prevention, and treatment strategies, with significant support from WHO, which provided nearly $1 million worth of essential medical supplies and led community engagement efforts.
As the country celebrates this noteworthy achievement, WHO representative Dr. Desta Tiruneh emphasized the importance of addressing ongoing challenges by strengthening health systems and investing in water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) infrastructure to prevent future outbreaks, urging stakeholders to draw upon the lessons learned from this experience to bolster the resilience of the nation’s health sector.
Funding for the cholera response was facilitated by a consortium of diverse donors, including the Contingency Funds for Emergencies, the Health Resilience Fund, the UN Central Emergency Response Fund, and contributions from various governments, including those of Ireland, the United Kingdom, and the Russian Federation, in addition to USAID.
SOURCE : NEWSREPORTZIM.COM
