HARARE, Zimbabwe — Zim bab we declared a national emergency over a cholera epidemic and the collapse of its health care system, and state media reported Thursday the government is seeking more international help to pay for food and drugs to combat the crisis.
Facing the highest inflation in the world, Zimbabweans are struggling just to eat and find clean drinking water. The United Nations says the number of suspected cholera cases in Zimbabwe since August has climbed above 12,600, with 570 deaths, because of a lack of water treatment and broken sewage pipes.
Still, residents are getting little help from the government, which has been paralyzed since disputed March elections.
Britain has offered $4.4 million and set aside a further $10.25 million in relief aid for Zimbabwe to provide medicine, fund basic health services and help prevent more cholera outbreaks.
The U.S. Agency for International Development said it would provide an additional $600,000 to help combat the cholera outbreak.
The European Commission is providing more than $12 million for drugs and clean water and the International Red Cross shipped in more supplies Wednesday to fight the cholera outbreak.
