560 dead:Cholera Emergency In Zimbabwe

Zimbabwe has declared a cholera outbreak that has killed more than 560 people a national emergency and appealed for international help to deal with the crisis.

Neighboring South Africa said it was extremely concerned about deteriorating conditions in Zimbabwe.

Economic meltdown in Zimbabwe, isolated by Western countries under President Robert Mugabe's rule, has left the health system ill prepared to cope with an epidemic that it would once have been able to prevent or treat easily.

"Our central hospitals are literally not functioning. Our staff is demotivated and we need your support to ensure that they start coming to work and our health system is revived," Health Minister David Parirenyatwa was quoted as saying in an appeal to donors.

Parirenyatwa said Zimbabwe needed medicine, medical equipment and food for patients and for child supplementary feeding programs, according to the state-run Herald newspaper.

"The emergency appeal will help us reduce the morbidity and mortality associated with the current socio-economic environment by December 2009," Parirenyatwa said.

The United Nations humanitarian office estimates the death toll from a deadly cholera outbreak at 565 people, with the capital Harare the worst affected.

Zimbabwe's health sector is collapsing with not enough money to pay for essential resources and doctors and nurses often striking over pay. The water system is in disarray, forcing residents to drink from contaminated wells and streams.