The Combined Harare Residents Association (CHRA) has implored Government and the City of Harare to work together and protect residents against disease outbreaks.
In an interview with 263Chat, CHRA acting director Rueben Akili said the inconsistent supply of water treatment chemicals posed a health time bomb.
“As the Combined Harare Residents Association (CHRA) we also had warned that the current water crisis which is emanating from shortage of critical water chemicals might also create a health disaster and we are not shocked that there is a typhoid outbreak because the water situation is dire. Residents need water but because of the low production due to the shortage of water treatment, it’s unfortunate.
“What needs to be done is to ensure that there is no sole supplier of the treatment chemical especially the aluminum sulphate and we are informed Zimphos which also supplies these chemicals locally they don’t have capacity so it is in our view the Government including the local authority to find alternatives in terms of those who supply them with water treatment chemicals,” said Akili.
He said current suppliers have proved that they have no capacity to supply the chemicals despite payments having been made by council.
“The current companies which were tendered to supply water treatment chemicals have proved that they have no capacity and to that end we call upon the local authority to make decisions and make sure that they have good suppliers who can be able to supply them timeously. Current suppliers don’t have capacity as evidenced by the failure to supply water treatment chemicals in as much as the Council has paid. We also call upon the RBZ to expedite the process to ensure that the payments are done.
“Water is something that is sensitive and we call upon local authorities and the Government to ensure that they work hand in glove to ensure that residents cannot find themselves in serious outbreaks of diseases but also losing their lives due to lack of water,” he said.
Akili’s calls come at a time there are nine confirmed cases of typhoid in Harare’s Glen Norah high density suburb with health authorities at Town House claiming to be managing the unfolding health crisis.
“In as much as council is saying the situation is under control, what we know is that when there is typhoid one of the fundamental need is handwashing with soap so when we do not have water and we say the situation is under control where when one of the protocols there is need to be objective and council need to be truthful,” said Akili.
