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Paidamoyo Chipunza Senior Reporter
The United Nations family and other development partners working in Zimbabwe have joined Government in responding to the effects of Tropical Cyclone Idai, which killed over 98 people over the weekend and left a trail of destruction mainly in Manicaland province.

In an interview with The Herald yesterday, UN’s communications specialist in Zimbabwe, Mr Sirak Gebrehiwot, said the UN has since dispatched a team of 22 UN personnel to areas most affected by the cyclone.

Mr Gebrehiwot said the team will join members of the Department of Civil Protection (DCP), local Government and other implementing partners to conduct a needs assessment, which will give insights into the kind of emergency relief needed.

He said the International Organisation for Migration (IOM) had so far distributed 1 000 tents to support affected populations who were left homeless in the aftermath of Cyclone Idai in Chimanimani, Mutasa, Nyanga and Chipinge districts.

Mr Gebrehiwot said the World Health Organisation (WHO) pre-positioned seven cholera kits, each having a capacity to cater for 100 people in the two most affected provinces, Masvingo and Manicaland.

“Although four have already been used, three are still available,” he said. “An additional 28 kits have been mobilised from Ministry of Health and Child Care, and WHO has ordered 117 cholera kits from their emergency hub.

“If the need arises, since there is an expected upsurge in cases of cholera and diarrhoea, WHO is on standby to fast-track the order so that the kits arrive sooner.”

Mr Gebrehiwot said as far as essential medicines were concerned, the Ministry of Health and Child Care sent 90 percent of medicines requested by Manicaland province.

He said the UN Population Fund (UNFPA) has also distributed 2 000 kits including wrappers, napkins for lactating mothers and their babies and dignity kits that include sanitary pads.

The UNICEF has prepositioned water, sanitation and hygiene kits which comprise water purification tablets, soaps, toilet bars, buckets, jerrycans and knapsack sprayers.

Mr Gebrehiwot said the WFP had sufficient food for the affected population, but emphasised that the ongoing needs assessment will provide humanitarian actors with the actual numbers.

“The greatest challenge has been inaccessibility of the affected areas, particularly Chimanimani and parts of Chipinge due to destruction of roads and bridges, as well as poor visibility due to incessant rains,” he said.

The Zimbabwe Red Cross Society has also delivered non-food items inclusive of 500 blankets, 500 tarpaulins for temporary shelter, 20 boxes soap, mosquito nets, 300 buckets, 115 compressible jerry cans, clothes and 15 000 water guard pieces.

The organisation’s head of communications, Mr Stambuli Kim, said they had also distributed surgical and medical sundries which include surgical gloves, drips, glucose, as well as drugs like aprofloxacin and acithromyan. He said the Red Cross Society also had volunteers who live and work within the affected communities who are also assisting in the national response.

“Given the continued calls for support, the Zimbabwe Red Cross Society continues to receive both food and non-food relief materials, as well as financial support from various well-wishers across Zimbabwe,” said Mr Kim.

Different other stakeholders throughout the country such as the Zimbabwe National Water Authority (ZINWA), the University of Zimbabwe (UZ) and the Zimbabwe Nurses Association (ZINA) have also joined Government and development partners in assisting the affected communities.

ZINWA corporate communications and marketing manager Mrs Marjorie Munyonga said ZINWA will provide potable water to affected areas using tanks and water bowsers as some of its water stations were affected by the floods.

Statistics from the DCP indicate that an estimated 11 719 people from Manicaland, some parts of Masvingo and Mashonaland East provinces have been affected by Cyclone Idai.