اپیدمی در زیمبابوه

Epidemic in Zimbabwe

In August of 2008, a deadly cholera epidemic manifested itself in Zimbabwe. A severe health hazard caused the outbreak.

There was a lack of clean drinking water in the overcrowded urban areas. Garbage and chemicals got into the public water supplies and contaminated them. Since people did not have access to other sources, they had to drink the dirty water.

The outbreak spread rapidly and infected almost 16,000 people. The illness caused extreme pain in people’s intestines. It also caused a deficiency of important fluids in sick people’s bodies.

Without the proper fluids and minerals, their body’s stops working correctly. People were unable to digest food properly or replenish their lost nutrients. Without viable treatment, they would die. It was imperative to reserve the situation.

However, the government of Zimbabwe was unable to provide help to its people. The government didn’t have a plan to stop the spread of cholera. In addition, the country was too poor to get clean water or medication for the sick. The people seemed to be doomed.

Luckily, many other countries recognized the need to contain the outbreak. Dozens of voluntary practitioners from Britain, France, the United States, and other countries went to Zimbabwe to treat the disease.

Through the provision of sterile drinking water and medication, people finally got the treatment they badly needed. The compassionate doctors were able to save the lives of thousands. By January of 2009, the epidemic was almost completely contained.

Today, the Zimbabwean government is investing in measures to avoid future epidemics. And placing an emphasis on prevention. They are cleaning up the water supply and making changes to reduce health hazards. The system used to filter water is being upgraded.

The government now administers the water supply plants and makes sure that they adhere to strict safety guidelines. Hopefully, future instances of cholera will be treated before they start deadly epidemics.