Thokozani Khupe appealed for international support to fight the cholera outbreak saying that the outbreak was a national emergency.

The MDC vice president and deputy prime minister designate Khupe appealed for international aid, drugs, and manpower to help contain cholera which has now spread to Zimbabwe's neighbouring countries.

Khupe made the appeal after touring Budiriro and Harare's largest infectious disease hospital. Budiriro is one of the areas that have been hard hit by the epidemic.

"This outbreak must be declared a national disaster and the crisis has reached unprecedented levels and we are calling on the whole world to put their heads together and assist Zimbabwe. The situation is now beyond our control," said Khupe.

She said: “This is a national emergency and we would like to call upon the international community and organizations who are able to assist us with food aid, drugs and water treatment provisions to come in and help as a matter of emergency because people are dying many are in dire need.”

She called on parliament to reconvene and deliberate on the crisis. "We are also calling parliament to reconvene and deliberate on the crisis so that the people of Zimbabwe may be enlightened on what is happening," said Khupe.
Khupe saw many people lying on beds provided by Medicines Sans Frontier and many of them said were in bad condition.

She wept as a group of women gathered by the gate at Budiriro Polyclinic were satellite tents have been pitched to accommodate the increasing number of people suffering from the epidemic.

"Our major concern is that ZANU PF is in denial that there is a health crisis in Zimbabwe. And these are symptoms of a failed economy that has been mismanaged for the past 28 years and the denial by ZANU PF that there is a cholera epidemic outbreak is being irresponsible given that more than 3000 people have died due to cholera."

At the infectious disease hospital she saw several bodies lying in the mortuary is filled to capacity.

"We have been to the mortuary where we were told that at least five bodies are added to the mortuary everyday. ZANU PF claims that this crisis is under control is irresponsible. Their refusal of entry to the Elders who wanted to assess the situation and help to mobilize international support is a clear indication that ZANU PF has lost touch with reality," said Khupe.

A mortuary attended who could not be named for professional reasons said that the mortuary has a capacity of 18 bodies but sometimes take more than 30 because of the high number of deaths everyday.

MDC secretary for health Dr Henry Madzorera who accompanied Khupe during the tour said that the situation was "an extreme disaster."

"What we witnessed today is an extreme disaster. We observed that the epidemic has reached disaster proportions and is essentially being under reported," said Madzorera.

"Our observation is that we do not have the capacity to deal with the epidemic, there are gross shortages from human resources to materials, drugs and fluids. The human resource situation is very dire, we have all nurses on strike, and only senior nurses are manning the wards. They are working long hours, they are tired and exposed to the extent that some health workers are now being infected with cholera while on duty," said Madzorera.

Some health workers have also been admitted to hospitals as they contract the disease because of lack of adequate protective uniform.