The World Health Organization says a lot more work needs to be done tocontain and stop the cholera epidemic in Zimbabwe. Dr. Claire-Lise Chaignat isthe head of the WHO's Global Taskforce on Cholera. From Geneva, she told VOA'sJoe De Capua that despite the controversy over President Mugabe's commentsThursday, the situation is very serious.
Mr. Mugabe had declared the epidemic had beenstopped, but Friday state media report his comments were merely sarcasm.
"We know that the epidemic is continuing. Andwhat we are currently doing is continuing to put all efforts together in orderto save lives and to control the spread of the epidemic," Chaignat says.
With the death toll hovering around 800 and thenumber of reported cases around 16,000, have any of the efforts to stem theepidemic been effective?
The WHO official says, "To put in place theactivities is not easy in the context such as the one we are facing currentlyin the field. And there are many acts that need to be coordinated. We know thatthere are a lot of ngos also on the site and they are quite active already anddoing quite a lot of activities in regard to case management and prevention andpreparedness activities. So, things are being put in place. We're starting tohave better information and we're starting to see that we have a better graspon the epidemic now."
However, she says that the WHO cannot give atimetable as to when the epidemic would be under control. Both treatment andprevention efforts are being stressed.
"We have to do both in parallel. It's veryimportant to treat efficiently cholera cases that are occurring so that we canavert death, unnecessary deaths. And at the same time, we have to do all thatis possible to prevent new cases from occurring," she says.
This week, South Africa declared its borderwith Zimbabwe a disaster area because of the many cholera patients entering thecountry seeking treatment. "We have our country office in South Africa, andthis country office is very eager and very active in providing support to theMinistry of Health?so that the South African government has all the capacities inplace to respond efficiently to the cholera cases that should occur on thecross border post," Chaignat says.