IOM reached some 160,000 people between 20 December 2008 and 10
January 2009 with cholera prevention messages and free aqua tabs
distributed at transportation hubs in Harare, Bulawayo and Mutare.

But despite local and international efforts to contain the
disease, the number of victims continues to rise.  As of 18
January, a total of 44,463 suspected cholera cases and 2,337 deaths
were reported.

IOM's response, which is concentrated on mobile and vulnerable
populations, particularly in border areas and at transport hubs,
includes health hygiene education, aqua tab distribution, delivery
of medical supplies and education materials for affected
communities, support to more than 20 cholera treatment centres
(CTCs), including tents, transport and fuel assistance, non food
relief items, and incentives for health care staff and assessment
teams.

A new IOM partnership launched 2nd January with Tetra Pak (South
Africa) to provide water containers labelled with cholera
prevention messages has also seen the distribution of nearly 6,000
1-litre packs.

IOM continues to monitor border areas and remains on standby to
assist in the event that any new outbreaks occur. Assessments are
ongoing and cholera prevention messages are also being mainstreamed
in all IOM programme areas.

IOM water and sanitation specialists are also visiting rural
areas to advise people on how to minimize the risks of contracting
cholera.

In Chiredzi district, in Zimbabwe's south-eastern Masvingo
Province they found people using unprotected open wells that they
shared with domestic livestock. Their advice included flushing and
cleaning the wells, protecting them with trenches to drain off
contaminated water and fencing them off with logs and thorns to
keep out the animals.

IOM is an active member of the UN Health and Water, Sanitation
and Hygiene (WASH) clusters coordinated by the World Health
Organization (WHO) and the UN Children's Fund (UNICEF)
respectively. IOM has been designated as the lead agency for
cholera response in the border areas of Manicaland, Mashonaland
West and Matabeleland North.

IOM is also working closely with its NGO partners in the areas
of disease surveillance and reporting, case management, food,
water, and health and hygiene promotion.

IOM's cholera response activities have received funding and
in-kind support from Sweden (Sida), Australia (AusAid), AmeriCares
and Tetra Pak (South Africa.)

For more information please contact:

Erin Forster

IOM Harare

Tel: +263 912 572 315

E-mail: "mailto:efoster@iom.int">efoster@iom.int