20 children die in Zimbabwe diarrhoea outbreak

At least 20 Zimbabwean children have died over the past two weeks after an outbreak of diarrhoea hit the southern town of Kadoma, reports said Friday.

"The town has been hit by an outbreak of diarrhoea over the past two weeks, but we worked hard to isolate ecoli (bacteria) and we can now safely say the situation is under control," the state-run Herald newspaper quoted provincial medical director for Mashonaland West Wenseslaus Nyamayaro as saying.

The report said the outbreak, which has also affected some adults, was caused by a shortage of potable water in the town which is faced with perennial water problems due to limited pumping capacities.

Kadoma, which is located 140 kilometres (88 miles) south of the capital, has a population of about 800,000 people.

Gear Hanyani, the public relations manager for Kadoma said they had made some progress in improving the situation.

"We have tried to increase access to water by putting water bowsers in residential areas with the support of UNICEF and other non-governmental organisations," he said.

Hanyani said council was making sure every household gets at least 20 litres of water on a daily basis.

The daily quoted some residents from the farming and gold mining town as saying the water problem has not been given due attention for a long time.

There was no immediate comment from the provincial health authority or the health ministry in Harare.

source : news.yahoo.com