29 December 2008
Johannesburg — "There is no food, we have malnutrition, there is cholera, now we are expecting a malaria outbreak," said an exasperated Amanda Weisbaum, the emergency manager for Save the Children, UK, in Zimbabwe.
As the cholera death toll climbed to 1,564, and its caseload to near the 30,000 mark, Save the Children has found that acute malnutrition in children aged six months to five years has doubled since 2007 in one of the two districts in which it has been working in Zimbabwe.
With the onset of rain, there are mounting concerns of a possible malaria outbreak ravaging immune systems weakened by cholera and malnutrition, "especially among those aged under five", said Weisbaum.
But reaching out to those who need help in a country where most of the infrastructure has collapsed, and the inflation rate is unofficially in the trillions of percent, is a huge challenge and "extremely frustrating", she said.
"In terms of access, Zimbabwe, comparatively, is one of the worst areas I have worked in," said Weisbaum, who has worked in some of the world's crisis hotspots - Darfur, Chad and Niger. "At least in Darfur, when we ran out of stock we could fly in supplies to the areas we worked in - here we cannot," she said.
Challenges
Weisbaum listed the challenges an aid agency such as Save the Children, which works in two districts in the Zambezi valley in northeastern Zimbabwe, faces:
1. Communications: "Our day begins with us [the head office in the capital, Harare] trying to get in touch with our offices in the two districts Binga and Nyaminyami. It can at times take us an entire day - the phone lines don't work. Radio communication is also relatively poor," said Weisbaum.
2. Foreign exchange: When the office in Harare does get through to district offices, raising foreign exchange to buy and deliver the supplies is a "huge" problem.
Since last month, aid agencies have been allowed to pay their national staff in foreign exchange. The economy unofficially runs on the US dollar. "But we don't know who decides the exchange rate - the banks don't function very well and accessing US dollars can be quite problematic," explained Weisbaum. Petrol costs about 75 US cents per litre, and diesel about $1.20 a litre. "It [the costs] is huge for us, especially when you calculate the distances in trying to reach out to rural communities."
The aid agency can also spend an entire day trying to find foreign exchange to buy fuel and pay the driver.
3. Food shortages: Feeding staff and beneficiaries in the Cholera Treatment Centres (CTC) set up across the country in response to the cholera outbreak remains a huge challenge. "We provide food packs to our staff going to the field because often they cannot access food."
The charity even had to raid its own stocks to send food for 22 new cholera admissions and care givers in a CTC over the past few days in Nyaminyami District. "It is the World Food Programme's job to provide food for those admitted in the centre, but they don't have food either," explained Weisbaum. WFP is already rationing food aid in Zimbabwe.
4. Writing reports to raise money, which might not come: "And I think we seem to spend many days just writing reports, attending meetings, trying to compile data to raise money from donors, when we should actually be out there trying to help beneficiaries," said a frustrated Weisbaum.
The level of donor confidence in Zimbabwe is very low partly because of the uncertain political situation, so funds do not always follow reports and appeals. But the response to the cholera outbreak has been good, according to Weisbaum, so the aid agency hopes to raise money for its operations for the next few months on the back of the cholera outbreak.
All Zimbabwe needs is a bit of money, training "as doctors and teachers have all fled the country", and some political initiative, and the country would be back on its feet soon, added an optimistic Weisbaum.
[ This report does not necessarily reflect the views of the United Nations ]
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The insensitivity of Tsvangi is disheartening.The western sponsored stooge remains safe from the ruinous effects of the illegal economic sanctions he invited upon his own supporters.The cholera outbreak is hitting hard Mdc-t's so called urban strongholds .The stooge fled to Botswana and the U.S and Britain have resorted to pressing him to walk out on the african solution and tsvangi obliges. This only serves to show the tragic effects of lack of education on the part of tsvangi.He doesn't realise that his own supporters are bearing the brunt of his reckless, unashamed puppetry, being used by outsiders who have no concern for zimbabweans at all.Now, the uneducated sellout is at crossroads, he got his passport back and he has to choose whether to listen to his Western handlers & trash the african solution to become an outcast of africa, a savimbi OR to accept what african leaders have told him to do, that is to go and accept the SADC recommendation .
I don see the reason why someone goes all the way to blame someone who is not in governance for the failures of the government, this shows the highest degree of political ignorance if the person is educated in any way, the commentator must tell us about what the gov in/will power must do, I have never heard of a gvt with good policies that goes down coz of the action of opposition party Zimbos work up look at Ghana
The man was married to a ghanaian - he must have learnt something!!!!! Now he is with his own!!!!!!!!
Dear concerned, Zim political problems is a direct result of interference into zimbabwe's internal affairs by western countries, using puppets.Look at Ghana, it's not facing hostile interference by outsiders that's why it's politically stable.There's no world leader or organisation saying in advance that the election will not be free and fair if ruling party wins,this effectively leads to an atmosphere of political tolerence, peacefulness and acceptance of election results., this inturn ensures that no political polarisation emerges after the election that would cause a political crisis, these positive circumstances inturn lead to economic prosperity because of unity of purpose by the nation's citizens , inspired by political stability. Let's look at Zimbabwe. Before elections are conducted, Western nations , led by Britain and United States intensify the anti zim campaign and start to trash the election result in advance if they feel that their puppets in MDC are going to be soundly drubbed by the ruling party.These western nations mobilise their news channels like cnn, fox news and bbc to report falsehoods about Zim election process in a bid to discredit it.They intensify their political and financial support for MDC and to threaten sanctions on the electorate.This is because they were reacting against our land reform programme.These issues lead to a climate of political intolerance,instability ,anger, hatred, polarization across the political devide and political crisis, with the mdc being backed by western nations..This inevitably leads to an economic crisis as there will be lack of cooperation and unity of purpose among all economic players.
The economic sanctions that tsvangirai supported make matters worse as the people who are facing a political crisis face economic strangulation from western nations.The collapse of health system is atributed to thisMind you, that western stooge admitted in the powersharing deal article 4 that the sanctions are economic.Tsvangi is stalling the powersharing deal by his continued intransigence.The stooge is being instructed by Britain and United States to walk out of the powersharing agreement, so that people continue to suffer, raising prospects of any eventuality desired by western nations.As a direct result of western interference using puppets like tsvangirai and his friends zimbabwe's political crisis has not been resolved up to now.Tsvangirai's complicity in this evil, western scheme, makes his equally responsible for the tragedy that has befallen zimbabwe.The political turmoil and the subsequent economic crisis could have been a thing of the past of Zim was left alone to determine its own destiny as an independent nation...
PLEASE IGNORE ANY POSTS FROM TAKUNYA_NDEBVU AND MABHIZA. THEY ARE BOTH THE SAME PERSON AND PAID BY THE ZANU PF'S MINISTRY OF INFORMATION (PROPOGANDA DEPARTMENT) TO POST AS MUCH PROPOGANDA ON THE WEB AS POSSIBLE TO PROMOTE THE MURDEROUS AND THEIVING ROBERT MUGABE. IF YOU READ ANY OF HIS POSTS YOU'LL SEE THAT HE MAKES THINGS UP AND CONTINUALLY LIES FOR THIS AIM. HE HAS NO CREDIBILITY WHATSOEVER AND SHOULD NOT BE TAKEN SERIOUSLY. HE WILL CONTINUNALLY CLAIM THAT TSVANGIRAI HAS CALLED FOR SANCTIONS AGAINST THE PEOPLE OF ZIMBABWE. THIS CLAIM IS 100% FALSE AND DESIGNED TO ALIENATE TSVANGIRAI FROM THE MAJORTIY OF THE PEOPLE IN ZIMBABWE THAT SUPPORT HIM. HE HAS NO EVIDENCE OF THIS, AND WILL TRY TO TELL YOU THAT THIS HAPPENED ON BBC HARDTALK. IF YOU LOOK UP TSVANGIRAI'S INTERVIEW ON HARDTALK THROUGH YOUTUBE, YOU WILL SEE THERE ARE NO MENTION OF SANCTIONS AT ALL. IT IS SIMPLY A LIE, LIKE THE REST OF HIS POSTS. HE IS ALSO UNABLE TO NAME A SINGLE SANCTION THAT SITS AGAINST THE PEOPLE OF ZIMBABWE AND HAS NO EVIDENCE TO SUPPORT ANY OF HIS CLAIMS AND LIES BLATANTLY ON A CONSTANT BASIS. HE WILL ALSO CALL ANY PERSON WHO IS AGAINST THE TRYANNY AND GENOCIDAL REIGN OF MUGABE WHO ARGUES WITH HIM ANY NAME UNDER THE SUN IN AN ATTEMPT TO DISCREDIT THEM. SO PLEASE DONT WASTE YOUR TIME WITH TAKUNYA, HE IS A CLASSIC EXAMPLE OF WHY YOU SHOULD NEVER ARGUE WITH A (SELF PROFESSED!)IDIOT. HE'LL ONLY BRING YOU DOWN TO HIS LEVEL AND BEAT YOU WITH EXPERINCE. Here are some facts (and you cant argue with facts!) why.. 1) Takunya and Comical Mabhiza work for the Herald, are paid by the ZANU PF to spread propaganda and lies, and to twist the truth in the ZANU PF's favor on the internet. 2) Takunya and Comical Mabhiza are one and the same person. 3) I "killed people and others suffer during slavery. You killed people and made others suffer during colonialism. You are killing people today and making others suffer because they want to have control of their own resources."3) Takunya and Comical Mabhiza have stated that Mugabe is the most democratic leader in Africa. Seriously!4) Takunya and Comical Mabhiza have stated that "in a bid to tarnish the image of Zanu pf, MDC went on a killing spree and murderered 130 MDC and Zanu pf supporters in the process."5) Takunya and Comical Mabhiza believe there were " over 200 CIA operatives criss-crossing the country during the elections."6) Takunya and Comical Mabhiza believe "Even the British are not happy with Tsvangirai's leaning towards the Americans when it was their (regime change) project in the first place. 7) Takunya and Comical Mabhiza believe that "Prem and Awt_independent, Phiri … are hired by the MDC establishment. Infact they are the brains in MDC hence are the ones strategising attacks on the Zimbabwean people be it via violence or sanctions." So now I work for the CIA, MI5 (see below) and the MDC. 8) Takunya and Comical Mabhiza believe that war veterans and police officers should be allowed to bar the MDC from distributing food to starving orphans.9) Takunya and Comical Mabhiza believe that freedom of speech should not exist in Zimbabwe and newspaper editors should be monitored to ensure they subscribe to the Zanu PF government's policies.10) Takunya and Comical Mabhiza believe that the US and Britain have openly stated that they are working with Zimbabwean journalists for "illegal regime change"11) Takunya and Comical Mabhiza believe the west "created the HIV virus and injeted it into the African people. They then turned around and alleged that HIV originated in Africa" "virus was created in a lab by some American scientist and injected into selected African families and this is proof enough that their experiments have not ended and this time they are using the HIV virus to exterminate the Africa race."12) Takunya and Comical Mabhiza believe the MDC has a "dictatorial leader who does not allow alternative voices". Rather ironic that one. 13) Takunya and Comical Mabhiza both support the use of violence, murder, rape and torture by Mugabe against the people of Zimbabwe.14) Takunya and Comical Mabhiza both believe that Bush is responsible for atrocities in Iraq, and this justifies Mugabe's atrocities in Zimbabwe, including the genocide of 20,000 Ndebele people and the murders of over 100 MDC supporters during this years elections. 15) Takunya and Comical Mabhiza should be ignored because none of their posts are truthful and they are always misleading.16) If you say anything against Mugabe, Takunya and Comical Mabhiza may say that you are paid by the CIA and MI5 to write here. 17) I do not work for the CIA 18) The CIA does not pay me. If they do, please give them my bank account details, all cards accepted. :-)19) Takunya and Comical Mabhiza will also resort to childish name calling when they have no factual evidence based argument. 20) Takunya and Comical Mabhiza both believe that Tsvangirai called for sanctions against the people of Mugabe.21) Takunya and Comical Mabhiza should be ignored because non of their posts are truthful and they are always misleading.22) Tsvangirai never called for sanctions against the people of Zimbabwe.23) When confronted and asked for evidence of this, Takunya and Comical Mabhiza have none. 24) The Sanctions faced by Zimbabwe are not against the people of Zimbabwe.25) The Sanctions faced by Zimbabwe are only against the government and its ministers, and 4 companies, including one that makes military uniforms. 26) None of these Sanctions are faced by the people of Zimbabwe. 27) Tsvangirai is not responsible for these sanctions. 28) If Tsvangirai did not exist, there would still be sanctions on Zimbabwe (as described above). 29) Therefore Tsvangirai is 100% independent of Zimbabwe being sanctioned as above. 30) Takunya and Comical Mabhiza should be ignored because non of their posts are truthful and they are always misleading.31) Biti and Ncube, and Tsvangirai had no input into the drafting of the American sanctions bill. 32) Takunya and Comical Mabhiza believe the west wants to recolonise Zimbabwe. 33) Takunya and Comical Mabhiza believe the west wants to invade Zimbabwe.34) Takunya and Comical Mabhiza should be ignored because non of their posts are truthful and they are always misleading.35) Takunya and Comical Mabhiza believe the west wants to poison aid and kill Zimbabweans.36) Tsvangirai has never denied aid to the Zimbabwean people, only Mugabe has done this. 37) Takunya and Comical Mabhiza should be ignored because non of their posts are truthful and they are always misleading.38) Takunya and Comical Mabhiza believe that Zimbabwe only has partial independence and that the fight against colonialism still goes on. 39) Takunya and Comical Mabhiza believe that Tsvangirai called for sanctions whilst being interviewed on BBC HardTalk in 2000. 40) Tsvangirai never appeared on BBC HardTalk in 2000. More lies. 41) Takunya and Comical Mabhiza believe that the British want to bomb Zimbabwe. 42) Takunya and Comical Mabhiza believe that the west wants to inject AIDS into aid to give to the people of Zimbabwe. 43) Takunya and Comical Mabhiza believe that west want to destabilize Zimbabwe and "make it ungovernable for eventual American and British takeover just like in Iraq and Afghanistan." 44) Takunya and Comical Mabhiza believe that Tsvangirai didn’t attend the meeting of SADC heads in Swaziland because he refused to go, and that he had a valid passport tor travel. This is after the Zim government clearly stated that Tsvangirai wasn’t issued a passport because there was no paper to make passports due to paper being under sanction.45) Paper is not under any type of sanction. 46) Takunya and Comical Mabhiza believe that Zimbabwe does not need any outside help. 47) Takunya and Comical Mabhiza believe that Bush is tainting Genetically Modified Foods with Aids and delivering it to Zimbabwe. Is this even possible? 48) Takunya and comical Mabhiza believe that Tsvangirai boycotted the Swaziland summet in favour of a round of golf. 49) For saying these things, Takunya and Mabhiza have tried to discredit me by saying that "You have supported the American war on Iraq and Afghanistan. You have supported the torture of suspected terrorists by the CIA as it practises its extraordinary randition around the world. You have supported the rape of women and girls by the American soldiers many times. You have supported the use of chemical weapons on civilians in Vietnam many times on this forum. You are a CIA agent. You have been exposed as a bitter former white commercial farmer who got recruted by the CIA. You are totally against the land reform do not lie. You were part of the killing machinary that massacred our comrades at Chimoio, Nyadzonya, Mkushi etc."All of this is simply propaganda made up by Takunya and Mabhiza to discredit what I say in my posts. And obvious as such to everyone with a brain. And I wouldnt be campaigning so strongly for the people of Zimbabwe who are subject to such practices at the hands of the Butcher of Harare if any of this were true. Water off a ducks back to me though. PS did everyone spot the 4 spelling mistakes in that piece of nonsense. Someone needs to learn how to spell too. :-)So just ignore Takunya and Comical Mabhiza, and let these facts speak for themselves. Thank you for your time.
Suspicions confirmed. But I am a bit suprised to learn that some of the ZANUpf can read and write.
Who is the hell is Mugabe any way ? He needs to be pushed out, like Nyerere pushed out Idi Amin. For all we know he was castrated by Ian Smith. He is really eunuch. That may be that is putting Zimbabweans through this pointless ignominy.
See all comments (12).
This is my opinion of Zim Politically- unstable Economically- gone Socially - gone Technological - There is no postal services people are not receiving mail. someone is opening mail in the hope of finding bucks! The phones are down the drain - cannot communicate with anyone