Combating Cholera: The Preventable Epidemic

julien_harneis' Flickr photostream/Creative Commons

Cholera has ceased to be a major health threat throughout most of the world, yet in some countries in Africa, particularly Zimbabwe, the preventable and easily treatable disease continues to claim thousands of lives every year.

Contaminated water supplies, poor sanitation and lack of access to treatment are considered the leading causes of the water-borne intestinal disease, according to the World Health Organization, but the lack of international aid to curb the cholera epidemic seems to me to be the most appalling contributing factor to the spread of the disease.  Admittedly the political climate in Zimbabwe has been particularly tense in recent months, but while Western governments withhold assistance, waiting to see if President Robert Mugabe is willing to maintain a power-sharing government with pro-democracy leader Morgan Tsvangirai, people continue to die. 

Six months ago one of the worst cholera epidemics in Africa killed 4,300 of the 100,000 Zimbabweans that were infected, and the water shortages and clogged sewer systems that largely contributed to the devastating outbreak were due to chronic neglect by President Mugabe.  I can understand the need to keep a watchful eye over Mugabe's actions, but I don't think it should come at the cost of allowing a preventable disease to claim more lives.  Fortunately Tsvangirai has allowed humanitarian assistance from abroad, which had been restricted under Mugabe, so the country has received large quantities of medical supplies to curb subsequent outbreaks, which according to the UK Times includes:

water purification tablets, boreholes, huge communal water tanks and narrow-necked water containers (to limit the spread of the bacteria) to make drinking water safe.

The improvements are to be applauded, but there is still a long ways to go before making cholera epidemics a threat of the past.  Improving access to clean water, sanitation infrastructure and basic health services to regions still at serious risk for cholera outbreaks, including Zimbabwe, need to be an international priority.    Important steps have been taken to combat this preventable disease, yet we need to continue to demand that adequate support is given to those areas still at risk.

Learn more about dealing with Cholera in the video below, and use the Act link to find out how you can help.