Oxfam launches appeal to help cholera victims

British aid charity Oxfam launched an appeal for four million pounds (6.2 million dollars, 4.2 million euros) Thursday to help victims of the Zimbabwe cholera epidemic.

Oxfam, which plans to provide clean water, sanitation and food to over one million people, called for donations as it “substantially scales up its efforts” in the country.

According to the latest UN figures, the death toll has passed 1,000.

“The rapid deterioration of the situation in Zimbabwe makes this an extremely grave humanitarian crisis which could deteriorate even further in 2009,” said Oxfam humanitarian director Jane Cocking.

“While the international community battles for a political solution in the country, millions of Zimbabweans are going hungry… We need to respond now, there is no time to lose,” she added.

According to the latest figures from the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) Thursday, 1,111 people have died from cholera in Zimbabwe and there are a further 20,581 suspected cases.

“The average Zimbabwean woman can only expect to live 33 years and the tragic fact is that unless we respond now, many more people will not live to see their 30s,” said Peter Mutoredzanwa, Oxfam Zimbabwe country director.

“Zimbabweans are no strangers to food shortages but we have now reached desperate levels. Some children only eat a meagre portion of food once every three days and people scavenge in rubbish dumps for anything they can eat.”

Zimbabwe President Robert Mugabe has come under increasing pressure from world leaders to resign following a deadlock over a power-sharing deal, economic ruin and the widening cholera epidemic.- AFP