Local and international media outlets report on shocking outbreak of Cholera in Zanzibar that led to appalling dismay and havoc in the socio-economic life of the general mass.

Comment:

This year the Cholera outbreak is far more shocking than in recent years. Although reported cases by the Zanzibar Health Ministry are not more than 2000 with deaths close to 50. But the installments of more buffer stations to accommodate victims, and government’s decision to halt some public and private schools is a clear indication of the outbreak intensity.

Cholera outbreak is not a new scenario in Zanzibar, Tanzania or in most tropical countries. A massive outbreak in Zanzibar took place in 1978 with enormous devastation that caused hundreds if not thousands of deaths. Since then, Zanzibar experiences recurrent outbreaks in 1992, 1994, 1997, 1998 and 2000. Most of these outbreaks affected both Pemba and Ungula Islands, and in most cases has been linked directly with the seasonal rains from March to June.

Despite the cholera outbreak being a reality in Zanzibar every year, and many local and international recommendations have been put forward to avert this catastrophic epidemic, it seems politicians lack willingness in preventing the outbreak.

The analysis over time identified affected areas characterised with poor latrine conditions as well as limited access of safe water, which makes its communities most vulnerable. An assessment of the water quality performed by University of Milano from March to June 2006 identified vibrio cholera in 41 out 50 analyses taken from 14 different source from three different districts. (‘Global Task Force on Cholera Control’, Mission Report, Zanzibar July 2006)

Zanzibar as any developing nation is engulfed with corruptions and suffers from mismanagement in its urban planning, environmental management and safe water provision, which ultimately bring over cholera and other epidemics.

This is intrinsic of the democratic system in the Capitalist ideology which cares only about politicians, their henchmen and the wealthy, while disregarding the public.  Zanzibar as any place in the world needs Islam as an ideology that will liberate it from this havoc and other kinds of miseries.

Masoud Msellem

Media Representative of Hizb ut Tahrir in Tanzania