Zimbabwe Red Cross Society has warned that it would suspend aid against cholera to Zimbabwe in the next month should donors fail to come up with more emergency funding, New Ziana reported on Monday.
Red Cross is one of the major NGOs assisting the country to contain the current cholera outbreak, projected to infect 100,000 people before it's under control, the state news agency said.
According to the World Health Organization, the country has so far recorded 73,385 cases and 3,524 deaths as of Friday.
The official Herald quoted Head of Operations in Africa for the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies John Roche as saying the organization only received nearly half of the 9.2 million dollars it appealed for under the Zimbabwe Emergency Cholera Appeal last December.
"All the efforts we have made today are in vain unless we receive serious funding and support," Roche said.
The Head of the IFRC team in Zimbabwe, Tony Maryon expressed concern that the outbreak might take many more weeks before it is put under control because of its severity.
"We are committed to continue working alongside public authorities to achieve this and to make sure that once this outbreak is under control that the Zimbabwean people and authorities have the resources and expertise they need to reduce the risk of future crisis. But we are worried that we won't be able to do this unless our appeal is better supported. As it stands now, we won't be able to continue our operations beyond the next four weeks," he said in a statement.
Zimbabwe Red Cross Society Secretary General Emma Kundishora said her organization was currently on the ground complementing government's efforts in provision of clean water, establishing and supporting sanitation facilities among other tasks.
"The global Red Cross has rallied behind the people of Zimbabwe and the Zimbabwe Red Cross. Progress is being made, but we need the funds to go the last mile," she said.