ZIMBABWE still has a long way to go in promoting good sanitation, against a backdrop of recurring communicable diseases such as cholera, according to data from the World Health Organization.
The data reveal that the share of the country’s population with access to well-managed sanitation has remained below 35%, peaking at 33.6% in 2017 before declining to 31.8% in 2022.
This decline occurred despite a gradual improvement between 2010 and 2017, when access rose from a low of 26.3% to 33.6%.
Zimbabwe is one of several Southern African countries affected by cholera outbreaks in recent years.
During the outbreak that ended in June 2024, Zimbabwe recorded 34,549 suspected cholera cases, including 4,217 confirmed cases and 718 deaths. The worst outbreak on record, in 2008–2009, resulted in nearly 100,000 confirmed cases and 4,288 deaths.
