Zimbabwe’s ongoing political strife has led to the virtual collapse of its health services. A chronic lack of health workers, clinics, essential drugs and clean water and sanitation, led to a cholera outbreak in late 2008. Claiming more than 4,000 lives and affecting 98,000 people, this is the largest cholera outbreak in Africa in 15 years.
HOW MERLIN IS HELPING:
Merlin entered Zimbabwe in 2008 in response to the cholera outbreak. We now have a team of 48 staff members (six international and 42 national).
Tackling cholera
We are reaching up to 500,000 people
Working in partnership with the NGO German Agro Action (GAA), we set up Oral Rehydration Points (ORPs) in the capital Harare and the Midlands province. ORPs are critical in stopping the development of severe dehydration, which is the primary cause of all cholera deaths. Staff at the centers diagnose cases of cholera, effectively treating mild cases, while referring severely affected patients to dedicated treatment centers.
Following a decrease in the severity of the outbreak, our work has changed from emergency response to preparedness and prepositioning.
Clean water and sanitation
The lack of clean water and poor sanitation are key causes of cholera. We are encouraging community members to drink clean water, wash their hands after going to the toilet and store their water correctly. And we are providing the sanitation equipment needed, such as water storage tanks, purification tablets, soap and hand washing facilities.
Training health workers
Merlin is training health volunteers, rural clinic staff and village health workers on cholera treatment and prevention, ensuring they are able to react to future outbreaks in a timely and effective manner.
Future plans
Merlin has established a good working relationship with the Ministry of Health and Child Welfare and we are developing joint programs to revitalize the collapsed health system through primary health care and HIV/AIDS programs in selected districts.
Key achievements
• We are currently treating around 500 patients each week at our oral rehydration points
• We have expanded our work to include the district of Makonde, where we are helping to provide clean water and improved sanitation to local communities
• We are training more then 2,000 health workers in cholera treatment and prevention
Donors supporting Merlin’s work
ECHO, the Man Group, CERF
Read more about Zimbabwe
Zimbabwe: "My name is Stanley, I'm 39 years old and I almost died."
Jul 7 2009: Stanley was in a coma when he was brought to Gladys, a volunteer Community Health Worker. Carried on the shoulders of six friends, he'd been sick for days from severe diarrhea and vomiting. With cholera running rampant throughout Zimbabwe, it was obvious to Gladys that Stanley needed urgent medical treatment.
FIELD BLOG: Treating cholera in rural Zimbabwe
May 15 2009: Steve Hide is Operations Coordinator for Merlin and German NGO Welthungerhilfe (GAA) in Zimbabwe. He has been working in Zimbabwe since 2005 on various humanitarian medical projects. This is his first diary entry.
Turning Back the Tide of Cholera in Zimbabwe
Apr 2 2009: As 2009 settled in, Zimbabwe’s public health situation worsened.
Merlin in Zimbabwe: “Prepared to respond as long as necessary”
Mar 15 2009: Kate Sheahan, Merlin’s Emergency Response Program Manager, is currently based in Harare, Zimbabwe, where Merlin is responding to a widespread cholera outbreak. Merlin has partnered with the German NGO, Welthungerhilfe (GAA) and has been scaling up to address Zimbabwe’s public health crisis since November 2008. Currently, Merlin is reaching up to 500,000 people with a network of oral rehydration points, or ORPs, in both rural and urban areas.
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