Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) said the ban on public gathering announced last week applies to church as well.
In an interview with the Hmetro, Police deputy spokesperson Assistant Commissioner Paul Nyathiurged churches to approach local health workers and police before any gathering to arrest the spread of cholera.
“Police has since banned any gathering in Harare and this also applies to churches and we are urging any church leaders to approach local health workers and police before any gathering.”
Ass. Commissioner said they will be on the lookout for gatherings where there are no adequate ablution facilities.
“Police will descend heavily on churches who gather at places where there are no toilets and we discourage gatherings where a number of toilets cannot contain the number of people gathered,” he said referring to further questions on musical gatherings to Harare City Council.
The government last Wednesday banned public gatherings in the capital Harare following a cholera outbreak that has claimed at over 25 lives and left hundreds of people ill over the past week.
The outbreak, first detected in the township of Glen View outside Harare, has prompted the health ministry to declare an emergency in the city.
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| Churches to Consult Local Health Workers & ZRP Before Any gathering As Cholera Outbreak Persists |
“The Zimbabwe Republic Police is appealing to members of the public to take heed of the warning and cooperate as this will assist in alleviating the continuous spread of cholera.”
The government on Thursday released $1 million to fight cholera, while also launching an international appeal for funding towards the pandemic.
It has also set up an inter-ministerial committee to come up with a lasting solution to the cholera outbreak in Harare and other parts of the country. The committee is chaired by Local Government, Public Works and National Housing Minister July Moyo.
Churches, also, have their hands on deck to stamp out this fatal epidemic.
Zimbabwe Council of Churches (ZCC) has since established cholera and typhoid response fund to deal with the outbreak of the twin waterborne diseases.
The ZCC said it was seized with the matter and was establishing a cholera and typhoid response fund to deal with the outbreak and prevent its further spread.
“Throughout the state of emergency on cholera and typhoid, the ZCC will rally its member churches in efforts to prevent deaths, ameliorate the suffering and contribute towards lasting solutions to address the root cause of recurrent outbreaks.
In particular, the ZCC will participate in stakeholder consultations in order to contribute to a collective way forward, provide pastoral resources to help pastors to be relevant as they minister in affected areas, medical institutions and bereaved families, establish a cholera reporting centre to collect and share information from churches in affected areas, establish a cholera/typhoid response fund to assist the affected families and communities,”
the ZCC told a local medium.
Prophetic Healing and Deliverance Ministries (PHD) leader, Prophet Walter Magaya held a church service on Sunday and discouraged congregants from greeting each other.
During the shortened service, Prophet Magaya reminded congregants to take precautions in the wake of the cholera outbreak which had claimed 31 lives as of yesterday afternoon.
He said he has always been championing cleanliness in Harare as seen by the many cleaning campaigns in recent years and added that he will play his part by helping congregants in the fight against cholera.
“We have been fundraising and hopefully, we will be able to put together something that our church members will be able to use in the fight against cholera,”
said Magaya.
“We have been fundraising and hopefully, we will be able to put together something that our church members will be able to use in the fight against cholera,”
said Magaya.
