Zimbabwe declares national emergency over cholera

By MacDonald Dzirutwe

HARARE (Reuters) - Zimbabwe declared a national emergency as it battled to halt a cholera outbreak that has killed more than 560 people and forced its government to appeal for international assistance.

Neighboring South Africa said it was extremely concerned about conditions in the state. Thousands of Zimbabweans are believed to cross the border, often illegally, into South Africa each day.

Economic meltdown in Zimbabwe, isolated by Western countries under President Robert Mugabe's increasingly authoritarian rule, has left the health system ill-prepared to cope with an epidemic that it once would have prevented or treated easily.

There is not enough money to pay doctors and nurses or buy medicine.

South Africa's Archbishop Desmond Tutu said Mugabe must step down or be removed by force.

"I think now that the world must say: 'You have been responsible with your cohorts for gross violations, and you are going to face indictment in The Hague unless you step down," Tutu, a Nobel peace prize winner, told Dutch television.

Tutu, one of the continent's leading voices against the former apartheid regime in South Africa, said the African Union or the Southern African Development Community (SADC) would have the military capacity to remove Mugabe, 84.

"He has destroyed a wonderful country. A country that used to be a bread basket -- it has now become a basket case," Tutu said.

Zimbabwe's Health Minister said the country's health services were not working.

"Our central hospitals are literally not functioning. Our staff is de-motivated and we need your support to ensure that they start coming to work and our health system is revived," David Parirenyatwa was quoted by the state-run Herald newspaper as saying in an emergency appeal to donors.

Parirenyatwa said Zimbabwe needed medicine, medical equipment and food for patients and child feeding programs.

The United Nations humanitarian office estimates the death toll from the cholera outbreak at 565 people, with the capital Harare the worst affected. The cases have been fueled by the collapse of the water system, which has forced residents to drink from contaminated wells and streams.

REGIONAL SUPPORT

Hopes of rescuing Zimbabwe from the humanitarian crisis are complicated by the deadlock between Mugabe and opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai over how to implement a power-sharing pact.

Analysts said worsening conditions may force Mugabe's government to mend relations with donors and other governments.