Save the Children today said the international community must
put politics aside and respond quickly to the cholera outbreak in Zimbabwe, now that the government has openly declared it a national emergency. The Zimbabwean government has reported that
more than 550 people have died so far from cholera.Speaking from the capital Harare today, Rachel Pounds, a country director for the global children’s charity said: “Cholera and
hunger are sweeping across Zimbabwe. It is the poorest who are most at risk - especially children. The health system has all but collapsed, many state hospitals and clinics have shut, there are not
enough drugs and health workers are not being paid enough to survive. At the same time the water infrastructure is in total disrepair.“In the short term aid agencies including Save the
Children and the United Nations can help contain the situation. Aid workers can organise water trucks and can support health workers and get them back to work. But we need money and so we are asking
world leaders to fund us – we can’t do this alone.” Ms Pounds said that the international community could deal direct with the UN and aid agencies and did not need to go
through the Zimbabwean government. “Save the Children is working directly with people in need feeding them and provided health services, but need more money.”
RNPS IMAGES OF THE YEAR 2008 Two children stand together as heavy rain falls at a temporary shelter for around 19,000 displaced people during post-election violence in Eldoret February 7, 2008. ...
Find out more about our response to the Zimbabwe Crisis
