Following Zimbabwe’s most recent cholera outbreak in 2018, at the instruction of President Mnangagwa, the Cholera Elimination Secretariat (CES) was established by Higherlife Foundation to provide catalytic support to the National Taskforce on Cholera Elimination. Recently the CES engaged the Health Parliamentary Portfolio Committee led by Hon Ruth Labode, as part of its efforts to accelerate and attain the buy-in of all political leaders and community leaders in the prevention and elimination of Cholera.
Through a breakfast meeting, the Parliamentarians got to learn more about the work of the CES and the part they play in the implementation of the Cholera Elimination Plan which was launched by the Honourable Vice President and Minister of Health and Child Care Dr C.G.D. N Chiwenga in 2020.
Following the inception meeting, the CES team conducted a field trip to 3 Cholera hotspots in Harare (Mufakose, Warren Park and Glen View) with some of the Parliamentarians from the Health and Child Care Parliamentary Portfolio Committee. Leading the tour was the Head of the Cholera Elimination Secretariat (CES) Mrs Rebecca Mwabvu together with Superintendent Sakarombe from the City of Harare who helped raise awareness to the parliamentarians of the newly identified Cholera hotspots and potential hazards in Harare.
During the tour, the parliamentarians saw some of the catalytic investment done by Higherlife Foundation in sewer rehabilitation and were grateful for our efforts in the prioritisation of WASH Infrastructure rehabilitation in Cholera elimination.
“This visit was really an eyeopener for us. The fact that Higherlife Foundation has gone into infrastructure through sewer refurbishments shows us the commitment of the Foundation towards cholera elimination and also shows us what needs to be done,” said Hon Ruth Labode, Chairperson Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Health.
Looking ahead, the CES will continue to engage the political leaders, policymakers and influential entities to get their participation and buy-in with the goal of ending cholera in Zimbabwe by 2028.
