World

Crisis Worsens in Zimbabwe

by Karenke4 | February 18, 2009 at 12:45 pm

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The cholera epidemic in Zimbabwe is worsening and without increased foreign assistance the crisis will become a full blown health catastrophe according to Medecins Sans Frontieres international president Dr. Christopher Fournier.

Unfortunately Zimbabwe has not been getting the international or national attention that it deserves. Organizations like the Red Cross are running out of funds, and medical aid is not getting to victims as soon as it could or should be.

A week before Christmas 60,000 was considered the worst-case scenario. Now, humanitarian organizations working in the country fear that the toll could climb to 100,000 or beyond. Whatever the final number, Zimbabwe is now in the grip of the worst cholera outbreak on this continent in 15 years. In six sickening and painful months, Zimbabwe has surpassed Africa’s continent-wide annual average of cases and deaths.

Cholera has already killed over 3,600 people in Zimbabwe in the last 6 months. Access to medical care is nearly nonexistent as clinics run out of supplies and transportation to rural villages is scarce. Cholera is not the only thing to fear though, according to MSF. The complete breakdown of health systems in Zimbabwe will more than likely lead to other extremely serious health crises including furthering the AIDS epidemic and a rampant spread of malaria.

The next epidemic could be malaria, the group said, because Zimbabwe has been unable to afford preventive measures such as insecticide-treated nets and peak season for malaria is imminent.

The AIDS crisis will worsen, because _ in a country where one in five adults carries the virus that causes AIDS _ people aren't getting medications or health advice.

Hunger and malnutrition are also a serious threat, as food shortages are becoming more and more common due to the massive inflation of the Zimbabwean currency. Half of the country already relies on foreign food aid. Foreign medication requires government batch testing, which costs $100 per batch and slows down the process of getting medication to the people that need it.

Zimbabwe's general health collapse has also affected ordinary medical services like prenatal treatment for pregnant women and treatment to ensure that mothers don't pass the AIDS virus on to their children.

Fournier, who has worked on medical emergencies around the world for 20 years, said only in Zimbabwe had he "seen this kind of collapse ... in the absence of any conflict, any war."

"A major emergency infusion (of foreign aid) needs to be given to Zimbabwe and it needs to be given now," Fournier said.