* The scale of the crisis must be acknowledged and addressed by Zimbabwe's leaders
* Elders call on SADC countries to act immediately on cholera, refugees
Johannesburg, Monday 24 November
Former United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan, former United States President Jimmy Carter and international advocate for women's and children's rights Dr Graça Machel have concluded a three day assessment of the humanitarian situation in Zimbabwe.
Unable to travel to Zimbabwe as originally planned, the Elders instead met political leaders, businessmen, aid workers, donors, UN agencies and civil society representatives in Johannesburg over the weekend, many of whom travelled from Zimbabwe to see them. They also held meetings with leaders of South Africa and Botswana.
While the nature of the problems in Zimbabwe has been well known, their meetings revealed a sharp deterioration in the crisis recent weeks.
FOOD
Food is the most serious problem. There is not enough to meet immediate needs and an acute shortage of seed and fertiliser means that April's harvest will produce a fraction of what is required. Donor assistance for the planting season reached only 25 per cent of the poorest rural smallholders.
The number of people reliant on food aid from UN and other agencies has increased from 2.6 million in October to 4.9 million in November. Half the population, 5.1 million people, will need food aid by January.
World Food Programme has already cut back on rations to make stocks last longer - leaving people with a daily allowance that provides just under 1500 calories, well below the bare minimum for survival. Without immediate increases in food availability, malnutrition rates will inevitably increase sharply.
HEALTH
Four major hospitals, including two in Harare, have closed their doors to almost all patients for lack of medicine and basic supplies - including running water. Hundreds of pregnant women needing caesarean sections or other assistance to give birth safely are being turned away. Staff numbers are falling as people make the search for food a priority.
About 15 per cent of the population is infected with HIV. 3,500 die every week. The AIDS crisis has left almost one in four children without one or both parents.
EDUCATION
School attendance has fallen sharply from over 85 per cent in 2007 to just 20 per cent. Universities have not opened at all this term. A teacher's monthly salary barely covers a day's average transport costs.
WATER AND SANITATION
Zimbabwe's collapsing health and water infrastructure has led to a major cholera outbreak that now raises the risk of a trans-regional cholera epidemic.
An estimated 6,300 cholera cases have been recorded in 9 out of 10 provinces in Zimbabwe, with fatality rates far above accepted international emergency levels of 1 per cent. Cases are already being recorded in South Africa and other neighbouring countries.
ECONOMIC CONDITIONS AND CASH CRISIS
Hyperinflation means monthly salaries have plummeted in value with severe cash shortages making it very difficult for even those with incomes to buy enough to eat. The government has recently permitted the use of US dollars in some stores, but this is leading to a two-tier economy between those who have access to foreign currency and the majority who do not. Hyperinflation is affecting the dollarized sector as well.
MASS MIGRATION AND DISPLACEMENT
Zimbabwe's failing economy and humanitarian disaster has created an estimated 3 million refugees. The SADC region has ignored this refugee exodus, refusing to name it as such, which means that many of those who leave risk arrest and deportation.
IMPASSE ON FORMING A GOVERNMENT
The failure to implement the Global Political Agreement is accelerating the humanitarian disaster. Without political progress, none of these issues can be properly addressed.
"We knew when we planned this trip that the situation in Zimbabwe was serious," said Mr Annan. "What we have learned in the past few days is shocking. It is not just the extent of Zimbabwe's humanitarian crisis, but the speed of deterioration in the past few weeks that is most worrying. The scale, depth and urgency of the situation are underreported."
President Carter said: "The signing of the 15 September agreement raised hopes in Zimbabwe and around the world, but the failure to implement it in good faith and create a workable power sharing government is leading to despair and accelerating the crisis. Regardless of the challenges in implementing the agreement, all parties should now make the welfare of the people their first priority and put an end to the unnecessary suffering of millions."
"The state is no longer able to offer basic services", said Dr Machel. "It can no longer feed, educate or care for its citizens. It is failing its people."
On leaving South Africa, the Elders will continue to follow events in Zimbabwe closely and use their influence wherever they can to ensure that the situation in the country is widely acknowledged and addressed.
Recommendations:
Political agreement
* All political parties should implement, in good faith, the Global Political Agreement as a matter of urgency, and work to form a truly inclusive government to tackle the humanitarian and economic crisis, also working with regional and international partners.
Food
* Donors should provide sufficient resources to meet emergency humanitarian needs, including the current $140 million required to feed people until April. The should also support the consolidated appeal of $550 million by 35 agencies to address urgent needs in all sectors in 2009.
* Humanitarian agencies must have unimpeded access, to assess needs and deliver humanitarian assistance without restraint.
* The Elders call on the United Nations, especially the WFP and FAO to work with the government and others to bring critical support to smallholder farmers in particular, especially in seed and fertiliser. This could enable a new 'Home Grown Help' initiative to be launched in time for the 2009-10 agricultural season. The government will also need to review current policies that create disincentives for agricultural production such as price controls and monopolies.
Health
* To address the cholera outbreak it is essential that the region comes together to set up a medical task force to help deal with those affected and to contain the spread of the disease.
* The government of Zimbabwe, working with the UN and international agencies, should find creative ways of retaining doctors, nurses and other essential staff, and ensure that medical supplies are available.
* Extraordinary measures to attract qualified health workers from surrounding countries should be brought in to address the fatal cholera epidemic. The Elders call on SADC to ensure proper capacity, regional coordination and cooperation.
Education
* Government, with assistance from donors and aid agencies, should create incentives for teachers to go back to school, including transport allowances, adequate salary, housing and access to food.
Water and Sanitation
* Government, with assistance from donors, should ensure the emergency treatment of existing water sources, along with efforts to rehabilitate water and sanitation infrastructure.
SADC region
* The SADC region needs to acknowledge that the crisis in Zimbabwe is affecting neighbouring countries and it is in the interests of all that it be addressed immediately.
The Elders want to thank all those who met them and helped make their stay in the region so productive, especially those who travelled from Zimbabwe to meet them, as well as the Presidents of South Africa and Botswana. SADC must play a crucial role in ensuring not only that the power-sharing agreement is implemented as soon as possible, but that work to get Zimbabwe back from the brink begins as well.
For more information please see www.theElders.org
Tuesday, November 25, 2008
Petition to the Minister of Health & Child Welfare
Petition to the Minister of Health & Child Welfare, Dr David Parirenyatwa & the Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Health & Child Welfare
Declare Cholera a National Disaster Now!
We are appalled at the current humanitarian disaster that has led to starvation, malnutrition and deaths of ordinary people. We wish to state without equivocation that those who claim to govern must cringe at the level of the humanitarian disaster that they have authored by pursuing ill-conceived policies. Cholera has so far claimed more than 200 lives across the country and there is suspicion that the deaths are deliberately underreported.
We wish to remind the present government that there exists an unwritten contract between the citizens and government. The ZANU PF government is in breach of this contract because it has dismally failed to provide basic services to the ordinary people. Communities have been severely affected by the humanitarian crisis- children are malnourished, people, including the sick cannot access their cash from the bank, hospitals are shutting down and the people are scavenging for wild fruits for survival.
The Government of Zimbabwe is obliged to provide for every citizen and to improve conditions to make it possible for people to work and improve their lives. We suspect that those in the high echelons of power are unconcerned about cholera and do not want to declare it a national disaster because:
1. They have access to clean water and have boreholes at their homes,
2. They fly to Cape Town’s Groote Schuur on public purse and not to Parirenyatwa Hospital for treatment if they get sick,
3. To keep up appearances as well as mislead the international community about the extent of the humanitarian crisis in Zimbabwe. This also explains why the humanitarian mission of the Elders was refused entry into Zimbabwe,
4. Misplaced claims to national pride and sovereignty.
Statement Issued by Centre for Community Development in Zimbabwe (CCDZ) and Endorsed By:
Name & Organization
1.
2.
3.
Please send to centrefordevelopment@gmail.com
Declare Cholera a National Disaster Now!
We are appalled at the current humanitarian disaster that has led to starvation, malnutrition and deaths of ordinary people. We wish to state without equivocation that those who claim to govern must cringe at the level of the humanitarian disaster that they have authored by pursuing ill-conceived policies. Cholera has so far claimed more than 200 lives across the country and there is suspicion that the deaths are deliberately underreported.
We wish to remind the present government that there exists an unwritten contract between the citizens and government. The ZANU PF government is in breach of this contract because it has dismally failed to provide basic services to the ordinary people. Communities have been severely affected by the humanitarian crisis- children are malnourished, people, including the sick cannot access their cash from the bank, hospitals are shutting down and the people are scavenging for wild fruits for survival.
The Government of Zimbabwe is obliged to provide for every citizen and to improve conditions to make it possible for people to work and improve their lives. We suspect that those in the high echelons of power are unconcerned about cholera and do not want to declare it a national disaster because:
1. They have access to clean water and have boreholes at their homes,
2. They fly to Cape Town’s Groote Schuur on public purse and not to Parirenyatwa Hospital for treatment if they get sick,
3. To keep up appearances as well as mislead the international community about the extent of the humanitarian crisis in Zimbabwe. This also explains why the humanitarian mission of the Elders was refused entry into Zimbabwe,
4. Misplaced claims to national pride and sovereignty.
Statement Issued by Centre for Community Development in Zimbabwe (CCDZ) and Endorsed By:
Name & Organization
1.
2.
3.
Please send to centrefordevelopment@gmail.com
Cholera spread intensifies in Glen Norah
21 November 2008
The residents in the suburb of Glen Norah reported a disquieting spread of cholera in the area this week, with more than 4 people dying in Glen Norah B, as at yesterday (20 November 2008). The state-run Herald newspaper, yesterday (20 November 2008) featured an article which alleged that “Cholera is under control” while people continue to lack clean tap water and to die from cholera, a bacterial disease. It is paradoxical that this mishap comes at a time when the state is desperately propagating untrue information in a bid to cover up the statistics and magnitude of the Cholera pandemic.
The pandemic whose nucleus in Harare is Budiriro suburb is distressingly spreading to other neighboring residential suburbs and is also wreaking havoc across the country, thus exposing the de facto government’s disaster management and preparedness incapacity and the need for help; suffice to say; the cholera pandemic must be declared; A National Disaster . ZINWA, the “government” parastatal responsible for water provision and sewer management has, despite the resources it received from the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe (RBZ), failed to meet the residents` tap (clean) water demands. The “government” has also failed to timeously act on the ZINWA failure i.e. reverse the disastrous decision of the water and sewer takeover and return the management of these to the local authority. These failures, coupled with the collapse of the country’s public health sector have resulted in the massive infections and deaths from cholera.
The Combined Harare Residents Association demand that the “government” acts responsibly; i.e. relieve ZINWA of the sewer and water management duties and return them to the City of Harare Local Authority. The residents cannot bear another day of ZINWA failure, “government laxity and the Cholera pandemic. CHRA will continue to rally the residents around demanding, quality service delivery and a responsible leadership/government. We stand by the Cholera victims and hold ZINWA and the “government” liable! The residents shall continue seek recourse for their violated rights.
Farai Barnabas Mangodza
Chief Executive Officer
Combined Harare Residents Association (CHRA)
The residents in the suburb of Glen Norah reported a disquieting spread of cholera in the area this week, with more than 4 people dying in Glen Norah B, as at yesterday (20 November 2008). The state-run Herald newspaper, yesterday (20 November 2008) featured an article which alleged that “Cholera is under control” while people continue to lack clean tap water and to die from cholera, a bacterial disease. It is paradoxical that this mishap comes at a time when the state is desperately propagating untrue information in a bid to cover up the statistics and magnitude of the Cholera pandemic.
The pandemic whose nucleus in Harare is Budiriro suburb is distressingly spreading to other neighboring residential suburbs and is also wreaking havoc across the country, thus exposing the de facto government’s disaster management and preparedness incapacity and the need for help; suffice to say; the cholera pandemic must be declared; A National Disaster . ZINWA, the “government” parastatal responsible for water provision and sewer management has, despite the resources it received from the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe (RBZ), failed to meet the residents` tap (clean) water demands. The “government” has also failed to timeously act on the ZINWA failure i.e. reverse the disastrous decision of the water and sewer takeover and return the management of these to the local authority. These failures, coupled with the collapse of the country’s public health sector have resulted in the massive infections and deaths from cholera.
The Combined Harare Residents Association demand that the “government” acts responsibly; i.e. relieve ZINWA of the sewer and water management duties and return them to the City of Harare Local Authority. The residents cannot bear another day of ZINWA failure, “government laxity and the Cholera pandemic. CHRA will continue to rally the residents around demanding, quality service delivery and a responsible leadership/government. We stand by the Cholera victims and hold ZINWA and the “government” liable! The residents shall continue seek recourse for their violated rights.
Farai Barnabas Mangodza
Chief Executive Officer
Combined Harare Residents Association (CHRA)
Calls grow for government to declare cholera a national disaster
By Alex Bell
25 November 2008
International aid organisation Oxfam has added it’s voice to the growing call for Zimbabwe’s government to declare the devastating cholera outbreak a national disaster.
Medical charities other aid groups and the MDC have all urged the government to take this crucial step to spur more action to halt the spreading threat of the water borne disease. At least 300 people are confirmed to have died in hospitals across the country, but it’s believed the figure is up to 400 percent higher in the communities, where people have been unable to access medical care. The outbreak of the disease and the critical lack of medical care across the country have seen scores of Zimbabweans crossing the border into South Africa, searching for medicine and treatment – fuelling concerns the disease will keep spreading in the neighbouring country.
South African health officials said on Monday that there are more than 1000 cholera patients at Zimbabwe’s Beitbridge hospital, while on the other side of the border in Musina, a further 168 Zimbabwean cholera patients have received treatment. Four people, including a South Africa truck driver have died from the disease in South Africa, this as the numbers keep rising in Zimbabwe. Despite a report published last week by the state run Herald newspaper that the situation was under control, the Combined Harare Resident’s Association (CHRA) said on Tuesday that there are more reports of the disease spreading.
CHRA said residents in the suburb of Glen Norah have reported a ‘disquieting spread of cholera in the area this week’, with more than 4 people dying in Glen Norah B, as of last week. Glen Norah’s neighbouring community, Budiriro, has been one of the hardest hit by cholera, with an estimated 10 people dying each day from cholera. CHRA’s Simbarashe Moyo explained on Tuesday that “nothing has been done to combat this disease and people are still dying.” He argued that the death toll is far higher than is being reported, saying “the figure is much closer to a thousand people that have died.”
More than 100 residents of Budiriro suburb, as well as from the Chitungwiza township where the outbreak is believed to have originated, are now filing a law suit and claiming damages of up to Z$2 hexillion (twenty one zeroes) against the Zimbabwe National Water Authority (ZINWA) over the cholera epidemic which has claimed the lives of their relatives.
The lawsuit will be filed in the High Court in Harare this week by law firm
Mucheche and Matsikidze Legal Practioners, acting on behalf of the
residents. The lawsuit seeks to have ZINWA relieved of its responsibilities for having failed to provide safe and clean water in the urban centres of Zimbabwe, leading to the outbreak of the deadly disease.
Meanwhile Zimbabwe’s second largest city said on Monday it had less than a month’s supply of water treatment chemicals, as cholera continues to ravage the crisis-ridden country. Bulawayo Mayor Thabiso Moyo said in a press report that an acute shortage of foreign currency has left the city of more than one million people unable to secure enough water treatment chemicals. It’s believed two people have died from the disease in Bulawayo, which hit the city last week.
25 November 2008
International aid organisation Oxfam has added it’s voice to the growing call for Zimbabwe’s government to declare the devastating cholera outbreak a national disaster.
Medical charities other aid groups and the MDC have all urged the government to take this crucial step to spur more action to halt the spreading threat of the water borne disease. At least 300 people are confirmed to have died in hospitals across the country, but it’s believed the figure is up to 400 percent higher in the communities, where people have been unable to access medical care. The outbreak of the disease and the critical lack of medical care across the country have seen scores of Zimbabweans crossing the border into South Africa, searching for medicine and treatment – fuelling concerns the disease will keep spreading in the neighbouring country.
South African health officials said on Monday that there are more than 1000 cholera patients at Zimbabwe’s Beitbridge hospital, while on the other side of the border in Musina, a further 168 Zimbabwean cholera patients have received treatment. Four people, including a South Africa truck driver have died from the disease in South Africa, this as the numbers keep rising in Zimbabwe. Despite a report published last week by the state run Herald newspaper that the situation was under control, the Combined Harare Resident’s Association (CHRA) said on Tuesday that there are more reports of the disease spreading.
CHRA said residents in the suburb of Glen Norah have reported a ‘disquieting spread of cholera in the area this week’, with more than 4 people dying in Glen Norah B, as of last week. Glen Norah’s neighbouring community, Budiriro, has been one of the hardest hit by cholera, with an estimated 10 people dying each day from cholera. CHRA’s Simbarashe Moyo explained on Tuesday that “nothing has been done to combat this disease and people are still dying.” He argued that the death toll is far higher than is being reported, saying “the figure is much closer to a thousand people that have died.”
More than 100 residents of Budiriro suburb, as well as from the Chitungwiza township where the outbreak is believed to have originated, are now filing a law suit and claiming damages of up to Z$2 hexillion (twenty one zeroes) against the Zimbabwe National Water Authority (ZINWA) over the cholera epidemic which has claimed the lives of their relatives.
The lawsuit will be filed in the High Court in Harare this week by law firm
Mucheche and Matsikidze Legal Practioners, acting on behalf of the
residents. The lawsuit seeks to have ZINWA relieved of its responsibilities for having failed to provide safe and clean water in the urban centres of Zimbabwe, leading to the outbreak of the deadly disease.
Meanwhile Zimbabwe’s second largest city said on Monday it had less than a month’s supply of water treatment chemicals, as cholera continues to ravage the crisis-ridden country. Bulawayo Mayor Thabiso Moyo said in a press report that an acute shortage of foreign currency has left the city of more than one million people unable to secure enough water treatment chemicals. It’s believed two people have died from the disease in Bulawayo, which hit the city last week.
Food aid needed in Zimbabwe’s urban areas
By Violet Gonda
25 November 2008
Tearfund is a UK based Christian organisation that works in relief and development across the world, to end poverty. The aid agency has been working through local NGOs in Zimbabwe for the past 20 years, providing emergency food aid and access to water.
Karyn Beattie is the disaster management officer with Tearfund and was in Zimbabwe recently to see how the agency could increase its aid program. She said the food situation is extremely bad and ranges from a complete lack of availability in many areas, while in others it’s totally unaffordable.
Traditionally hunger hits rural areas, but the scale of this humanitarian crisis has also seriously hit the urban areas. In the two weeks that she was in Zimbabwe the Tearfund officer said aid agencies such as the United Nations are targeting very specific groups, and only feeding people in the rural areas. The vulnerable groups that they target are mainly people living with HIV/AIDS and child headed households. But this is a problem as the majority of people in urban areas now also need help.
Although food aid is being sent to Zimbabwe Beattie said it is not enough, as almost everyone needs food aid now. But the government is trying to make the situation look less serious than it is, by asking for less food from humanitarian groups than is actually needed.
She said the government agreed to provide large amounts of food itself, when it knew full well it could not afford it. Beattie added that donors like the UN World Food Programme (WFP) and the Red Cross are bringing in around 400 000 tonnes of food; “But that is supposed to be a complimentary effort. In other words the government is supposed to bring in the majority of the food, which is about 800 000 tonnes.” To date the amount of food brought in by the government has only been 150 000 tonnes.
“Unless we get a government who is going to be prepared to say we need help and we need it very quickly, I can’t see a way through the mess at the moment,” she warned.
There are groups like the Zimbabwe Vulnerability Assessment Committee (ZIMVAC) who carry out assessments, usually after harvest around June and July, to look at what was harvested and the vulnerability of the people. It is out of their reports that donors such as the WFP came up with figures estimating that around 5.1 million people face starvation.
Beattie said the authorities in Zimbabwe are aware of these disturbing figures especially as the independent assessments are done in combination with government officials and NGOs. However the government always officially says it can handle the crisis and will source food from neighbouring countries like South Africa and Zambia. But later on they quietly allow aid agencies to bring in extra food.
The WFP announced last week it had signed a new, two year US$500 million aid deal to ‘allow’ them to supply food to economically and politically ravaged Zimbabwe. The WFP said the money will provide 350 000 tons of food to the most vulnerable groups.
Tearfund also reports that even in the areas where food is being distributed it is still being politicised in some rural communities. Aid groups rely on a variety of stakeholders to identify vulnerable groups and in some cases chiefs and local leaders are said to be choosing beneficiaries on the basis of political affiliation.
25 November 2008
Tearfund is a UK based Christian organisation that works in relief and development across the world, to end poverty. The aid agency has been working through local NGOs in Zimbabwe for the past 20 years, providing emergency food aid and access to water.
Karyn Beattie is the disaster management officer with Tearfund and was in Zimbabwe recently to see how the agency could increase its aid program. She said the food situation is extremely bad and ranges from a complete lack of availability in many areas, while in others it’s totally unaffordable.
Traditionally hunger hits rural areas, but the scale of this humanitarian crisis has also seriously hit the urban areas. In the two weeks that she was in Zimbabwe the Tearfund officer said aid agencies such as the United Nations are targeting very specific groups, and only feeding people in the rural areas. The vulnerable groups that they target are mainly people living with HIV/AIDS and child headed households. But this is a problem as the majority of people in urban areas now also need help.
Although food aid is being sent to Zimbabwe Beattie said it is not enough, as almost everyone needs food aid now. But the government is trying to make the situation look less serious than it is, by asking for less food from humanitarian groups than is actually needed.
She said the government agreed to provide large amounts of food itself, when it knew full well it could not afford it. Beattie added that donors like the UN World Food Programme (WFP) and the Red Cross are bringing in around 400 000 tonnes of food; “But that is supposed to be a complimentary effort. In other words the government is supposed to bring in the majority of the food, which is about 800 000 tonnes.” To date the amount of food brought in by the government has only been 150 000 tonnes.
“Unless we get a government who is going to be prepared to say we need help and we need it very quickly, I can’t see a way through the mess at the moment,” she warned.
There are groups like the Zimbabwe Vulnerability Assessment Committee (ZIMVAC) who carry out assessments, usually after harvest around June and July, to look at what was harvested and the vulnerability of the people. It is out of their reports that donors such as the WFP came up with figures estimating that around 5.1 million people face starvation.
Beattie said the authorities in Zimbabwe are aware of these disturbing figures especially as the independent assessments are done in combination with government officials and NGOs. However the government always officially says it can handle the crisis and will source food from neighbouring countries like South Africa and Zambia. But later on they quietly allow aid agencies to bring in extra food.
The WFP announced last week it had signed a new, two year US$500 million aid deal to ‘allow’ them to supply food to economically and politically ravaged Zimbabwe. The WFP said the money will provide 350 000 tons of food to the most vulnerable groups.
Tearfund also reports that even in the areas where food is being distributed it is still being politicised in some rural communities. Aid groups rely on a variety of stakeholders to identify vulnerable groups and in some cases chiefs and local leaders are said to be choosing beneficiaries on the basis of political affiliation.
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