Online Reporter
Ivan Zhakata-Herald Correspondent
GOVERNMENT, through its partnership with the People’s Republic of China and UNICEF, has stepped up efforts to cushion vulnerable communities from the effects of the El Niño-induced drought through a two-year programme targeting more than 212 000 people in eight drought-hit districts.
The programme, funded by China through the China International Development Cooperation Agency (CIDCA) and implemented by UNICEF in partnership with the Government, will focus on nutrition, water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH), child protection, and civil registration services.
Speaking at the launch of the initiative in Goromonzi last Friday, Deputy Minister of Health and Child Care Sleiman Kwidini said climate change has become a major public health challenge requiring collective action.
“Climate change is no longer just an environmental issue. It is a health issue,” he said.
Deputy Minister Kwidini said Zimbabwe has experienced the devastating impact of climate-related disasters, including Cyclone Idai and prolonged droughts that have resulted in food insecurity, child under-nutrition, weakened immunity, and increased vulnerability to diseases.
“When water sources dry up, communities face greater risks of diarrhoeal diseases and cholera, placing further strain on our health system,” he said.
Deputy Minister Kwidini said the initiative will strengthen community resilience by improving access to safe water, nutrition support, sanitation services, and child protection mechanisms.
“The health of our people depends on much more than hospitals and medicines. It depends on safe water, adequate nutrition, food security, sanitation, social protection, and resilient communities,” he said.
Chinese Ambassador to Zimbabwe Zhou Ding said the programme was a further demonstration of the strong relations between Zimbabwe and China and will contribute towards strengthening climate resilience and sustainable livelihoods.
He said Zimbabwe experienced its worst El Niño-induced drought in more than four decades during the 2023/24 agricultural season, resulting in water shortages, reduced harvests, and disruptions to essential services.
Ambassador Zhou said following President Mnangagwa’s declaration of a national state of disaster, China responded with emergency assistance, including food aid and water projects.
“China, as Zimbabwe’s all-weather friend, took swift action. We mobilised and delivered three batches of emergency food aid, comprising 10 000 metric tonnes of wheat and rice,” he said. Ambassador Zhou said the 300-borehole project has supplied clean drinking water to more than 75 000 people in 300 villages across four provinces.
Ambassador Zhou said following President Mnangagwa’s declaration of a national state of disaster, China responded with emergency assistance, including food aid and water projects.
He said the programme will provide direct support to more than 200 000 people in eight drought-affected districts through integrated interventions.
“Through our partnership with UNICEF Zimbabwe, we aim to further support Zimbabwe’s national efforts to mitigate drought shocks and advance the well-being of vulnerable populations,” Ambassador Zhou said.
UNICEF Representative Ms Etona Ekole said the programme came at a critical time as communities continued to recover from the devastating effects of the drought.
She said the 2023/24 drought left an estimated 7,6 million people facing food insecurity, with children bearing the brunt through reduced access to nutritious diets and essential services.
Ms Ekole said by July 2024, four percent of water points had dried up, forcing communities to rely on unsafe sources and increasing the risk of diarrhoeal diseases.
“For too many children in Zimbabwe, climate-related shocks disrupt every dimension of childhood. They affect whether a child has enough nutritious food, whether safe water is available, whether health services remain accessible, and whether families can protect their children,” she said.
Ms Ekole said implementation of the programme began in January and will help communities recover from the drought while preparing for possible future climate shocks.
She said the 24-month programme would support children requiring nutrition services, improve access to safe water and sanitation, strengthen child protection, and assist families to build resilience. Sleiman Kwidini
