Cholera response
A Cholera patient in a Zimbabwean hospital
We have no capacity or interest to take over the responsibility of authorities that under normal circumstances should provide clean drinkable water and working sewer systems across Zimbabwe. Instead, we have the capacity and interest to intervene in a smart and effective way – just as we have managed to sustain the life of the entire nation through our small individual remittances over the past decade.
Ours is an attempt to save as many lives as we can while we wait for the authorities to get their act together and do the work they are mandated to do. Our response to the cholera epidemic is possibly the most efficient of every dollar we get - making a difference where that money was meant.
The bacteria Vibrio cholerae
Cholera is an easily treatable waterborne disease, which thrives in poor sanitary conditions and has been accelerated in Zimbabwe by systematic under-funding in water and sanitation infrastructure and health delivery service.
The cholera epidemic has killed more than 4 000 people and nearly 90,000 have been infected by this waterborne disease since the outbreak began in August 2008. According to the World Health Organization safe drinking water is one of the world’s greatest needs. More than 1 billion people in the world lack safe water and an estimated 2.2 million children die each year from diarrhoea. Many of these needless deaths could be prevented by providing safe drinking water.
In our efforts to respond to the Zimbabwe cholera situation, we have discovered a simple and tangible way to reduce these unnecessary deaths by addressing basic needs for safe water in Zimbabwe.
ZIA Network is shipping and delivering a PuR packet (a water purifier, by Procter & Gamble) which allows an individual to convert the filthiest, most contaminated water into clean and safe to drink water in a matter of minutes. Use of PUR packets is an amazingly cost effective way of providing clean and safe drinking water to those who need it. PuR is delivered in bulk shipments to groups to distribute to families in need. A supply of PuR for a whole village can be transported in a large suitcase.
How PUR works on dirty water
PuR packet is an amazing innovation that quickly turns 10 liters of dirty, potentially deadly water into clean and drinkable water. It is much smaller and easier to ship than plastic water bottles; anyone anywhere in the world can easily use it. It removes more than 99.99999% of intestinal bacteria including those that cause cholera.
We are sourcing PUR from anywhere we can find it in the world. The first shipment of 300 000 PUR packets was airlifted into Zimbabwe in February. These packets translated into 3 million liters of clean drinkable water. The second shipment of 250 000 is underway. With our strategic partnerships with humanitarian organizations already working in the country these supplies are being distributed through schools and faith based organizations.
ZIA PUR arrives in Zimbabwe
A supply of 500,000 packets of PuR is a loud and significant response to a call to action - given that one packet of PuR purifies 10 liters of water this is 5,000,000 liters of fresh drinkable water supplied directly to those who need it. This is water that doesn't kill one's children, that frees one from regular diarrhoea, that doesn't contain worms or other parasites that feed on the people who drink it, that does not require enormous resources to procure and that brings a better life to those who use it.
Working with church-related hospitals, we have identified medical supplies including medicines that these hospitals need for their institutions to function again. We have found generous humanitarian organizations in North America equally concerned and willing to help us respond to the medical emergency in Zimbabwe. Our first 40-feet container is at sea destined for Harare at the time of this report.
Although the challenges facing Zimbabwe are daunting and the resources required staggering, ZIA Network rejects the notion that these challenges are too big for us to confront. We are and we will respond and help every citizen to realize his or her right to live. As individuals, yes, the task is overwhelming and yet together, we can reverse this disaster with bare minimum effort. Help us make a difference – DONATE
See a short video about the humanitarian response to cholera in Congo and Kenya
http://www.pghsi.com/pghsi/video/red_cross_PLWA/red_cross_PLWA.html
http://www.pghsi.com/pghsi/cholera/Cholera.html
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fritzhole
said:
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let us help one another well isn't it nice to help other people who are sick. so sad to hear this kind of story, i can add this to my research paper writers for my humanities project. thank you  |
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