James Mupfupi fights for his life at Matope Clinic in Mount Darwin. The 27-year-old miner lies weak on a thin mattress, his body ravaged by cholera. He drinks from a shared well near his mining camp. "I never understood cholera until it hit me," he says quietly. Many miners use the bushes as bathrooms because one toilet serves countless workers.
The cholera crisis has struck 340 people across Mashonaland Central. Eight have died already. More than twelve patients remain in treatment centers. Health officials worry as this marks the fourth straight outbreak in the province. Miners along Mazowe River face the highest risk due to their living situation.
Gold draws thousands of people to Mazowe River and its branches. They come searching for fortune but instead find dangerous health conditions. These miners drink from shallow holes or directly from the dirty river. Most spots lack proper toilets, forcing people to relieve themselves near the water they use daily.
Health Minister Dr. Douglas Mombeshora recently visited these struggling communities. He pointed out how illegal mining creates perfect conditions for disease. "Cases increase daily, reaching double digits," he explained. Artisanal mining areas lack basic sanitation and clean water access, causing most infections.
Tracking the disease proves nearly impossible because miners move constantly. Some patients arrive at treatment centers just days after entering mining areas. This constant movement helps spread the bacteria across different regions. Hundreds of simple shacks line the Mukaradzi River, where entire families live.
Men spend their days digging for gold particles, women work through shallow streams searching for precious metals, and children roam around selling water bottles and snacks to hungry workers. Everyone shares the same cramped, dirty space where cholera thrives and spreads rapidly through the community.
Last year, during the height of the cholera outbreak, mining areas suffered most severely. Mukaradzi Mine recorded more cases than anywhere else in Mount Darwin District. Many miners lack basic knowledge about preventing diarrheal diseases. The Health Ministry has pushed for education campaigns and handed out water purification tablets.
These efforts help temporarily but fail to address the root problems. "We urgently need better water systems and proper bathrooms in rural mining areas," Dr. Mombeshora stated. Similar problems exist beyond Zimbabwe. Research from South Sudan shows cholera spreads quickly through traditional gold mining regions lacking hygiene and safe water.
Cholera threatens communities worldwide. Since January, countries including Afghanistan, Angola, Bangladesh, Burundi, the Democratic Republic of Congo, South Sudan, Sudan, Tanzania, Yemen, Zambia, and Zimbabwe have reported new cases. The World Health Organization warns about one billion people face risk from this preventable disease.
The cholera crisis has struck 340 people across Mashonaland Central. Eight have died already. More than twelve patients remain in treatment centers. Health officials worry as this marks the fourth straight outbreak in the province. Miners along Mazowe River face the highest risk due to their living situation.
Gold draws thousands of people to Mazowe River and its branches. They come searching for fortune but instead find dangerous health conditions. These miners drink from shallow holes or directly from the dirty river. Most spots lack proper toilets, forcing people to relieve themselves near the water they use daily.
Health Minister Dr. Douglas Mombeshora recently visited these struggling communities. He pointed out how illegal mining creates perfect conditions for disease. "Cases increase daily, reaching double digits," he explained. Artisanal mining areas lack basic sanitation and clean water access, causing most infections.
Tracking the disease proves nearly impossible because miners move constantly. Some patients arrive at treatment centers just days after entering mining areas. This constant movement helps spread the bacteria across different regions. Hundreds of simple shacks line the Mukaradzi River, where entire families live.
Men spend their days digging for gold particles, women work through shallow streams searching for precious metals, and children roam around selling water bottles and snacks to hungry workers. Everyone shares the same cramped, dirty space where cholera thrives and spreads rapidly through the community.
Last year, during the height of the cholera outbreak, mining areas suffered most severely. Mukaradzi Mine recorded more cases than anywhere else in Mount Darwin District. Many miners lack basic knowledge about preventing diarrheal diseases. The Health Ministry has pushed for education campaigns and handed out water purification tablets.
These efforts help temporarily but fail to address the root problems. "We urgently need better water systems and proper bathrooms in rural mining areas," Dr. Mombeshora stated. Similar problems exist beyond Zimbabwe. Research from South Sudan shows cholera spreads quickly through traditional gold mining regions lacking hygiene and safe water.
Cholera threatens communities worldwide. Since January, countries including Afghanistan, Angola, Bangladesh, Burundi, the Democratic Republic of Congo, South Sudan, Sudan, Tanzania, Yemen, Zambia, and Zimbabwe have reported new cases. The World Health Organization warns about one billion people face risk from this preventable disease.
