A cabinet minister said the outbreaks of diarrhoea and enteric [intestinal] diseases are crippling the health ministry, which is under-funded.

Addressing an audience at typhoid, cholera, common diarrhoea and other enteric diseases outbreaks update recently in Harare, the Minister of Health and Child Welfare, Henry Madzorera said the outbreaks were costly to the health delivery system.

"Outbreaks are costly to the health delivery system which bears the brunt of the inadequacies of these key health interventions.

In the public health sector, the proportionate spending on health remains far below the Abuja target of at least 15% of the government budgetary allocation to health. It also falls short of the world health organisation guidelines of at least US$34 per capita spending on health," said Madzorera.

Effective response to outbreaks require resources which are not available at the moment.

Madzorera added that his ministry would continue to improve the conditions of service of health care workers in a bid to reduce morbidity, complications and deaths.