The gold-rich region of Mukaradzi, located 10 kilometers southeast of Mount Darwin, has been grappling with severe cholera outbreaks, exacerbated by poor sanitation and lack of clean water. Over two thousand artisanal miners and vendors live and work in this area, further straining limited resources.
The latest cholera outbreak began in February 2023 and only subsided in June 2024, thanks to multi-sectoral interventions by UNICEF and its partners. UNICEF supplied 200 non-food item (NFI) kits in June 2024, distributed with the help of Welthungerhilfe (WHH) and the Ministry of Health and Child Care.
These kits, intended to serve a family of 710, included essentials like jerry cans, laundry bars, water guards, and oral rehydration salts, though they could not cater to the entire artisanal mining population.
Peter Gonzo, Mt Darwin’s acting district environmental health officer, highlighted the community’s vulnerability, stating, “The Mukaradzi mining community is prone to cholera due to a lack of ablution facilities and clean water.” He noted that during the outbreak, Mukaradzi accounted for 70% of cholera cases in the district.
UNICEF’s intervention, which included health education campaigns, significantly helped contain the outbreak. Beneficiaries were educated on using the NFI kits, which aimed to promote good hygiene and safe water practices. However, officials stress the need for more resources to ensure sustainable cholera prevention.
The cholera response was funded by multiple donors, including the CDC, ECHO, HRF, and GAVI, with additional support from private sector partners.
