By Talent Gondo| Increasing cholera cases in Harare and Chitungwiza continue presenting challenges for the country’s health sector, a government official has said.

Epidemiology and disease control director in the Ministry of Health and Child Care, Dr Portia Manangazira confirmed this in an interview with a local daily, The Herald.

Dr Manangazira said 47 suspected cases of the disease — 14 in Stoneridge, 2 in Belvedere and 31 in Chitungwiza — have been reported since April 5, 2018.

She revealed that of the suspected cases, 23 had been confirmed.

“Our worry is that cases keep cropping up and we do not know where and when is the next outbreak,” she said.

Dr Manangazira lamented poor service delivery including failure by local authorities to provide clean water and sanitation facilities to local suburbs and newly-established settlements such as Stoneridge.

In its election manifesto, Zanu Pf has promised the provision of safe and sufficient drinking water and sanitation for the citizenry as a right conferred to them by the constitution.

The party pledged that government will ensure the purification of water to meet WHO standards.

“A national rehabilitation programme of all water purification plants will be adopted and implemented,” read the manifesto.

“Some projects that will be completed in pursuit of this objective include:Gwayi-Tshangani Dam, Mutange Dam, Kunzvi Dam and Wenimbi pipeline.”

The party pledged to capacitate ZINWA and increase water reservoirs.

“The party will establish high capacity boreholes in each and every community and embark on a water harvesting programmes,” read the manifesto.