The Zimbabwe Red Cross Society and the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) are increasingly concerned about the lack of funding received for the Zimbabwe Cholera Appeal.

This concern comes as reports from the Zimbabwe Ministry of Health and the World Health Organization reveal a worsening crisis. As of 21 January, 48,623 cases had been reported, with 2,755 deaths. Most alarming, according to Red Cross Red Crescent health experts, is the mortality rate of 5.7 per cent, an indication that the outbreak is still far from under control. Overall, this signifies a 20 per cent increase in cholera deaths over the past week and rings alarm bells about the need to push back this epidemic and better fund the humanitarian effort on the ground.

"Because of the severity of this outbreak, we fear that it will take many more weeks to get it under control," said Tony Maryon, the head of the IFRC's team in Zimbabwe. "We are committed to continue working alongside public authorities to achieve this and to make sure that once this outbreak is under control that the Zimbabwean people and authorities have the resources and expertise they need to reduce the risk of future crisis.

"But we are worried that we won't be able to do this unless our appeal is better supported. As it stands now, we won't be able to continue our operations beyond the next four weeks."

The Zimbabwe Cholera Emergency Appeal was launched on 23 December, 2008, calling for 10.2 million Swiss francs (USD 9.2 million/ € 6.6 million). However the appeal is about 60 per cent underfunded. In the last month, the massive Red Cross Red Crescent response to the cholera outbreak in Zimbabwe has reached hundreds of thousands of people right across the country.

"We are active in all of the affected areas," explained Emma Kundishora, the secretary general of the ZRCS. "Our volunteers and staff are on the ground, producing clean water, establishing and supporting sanitation and treatment facilities and passing on life-saving health awareness messages."

The tireless work of ZRCS volunteers has been supported by an unprecedented mass deployment of international Red Cross and Red Crescent resources. Seven Emergency Response Units (ERUs) arrived in Zimbabwe one month ago and are now established and operational in the four worst-affected provinces.

"The global Red Cross has rallied behind the people of Zimbabwe and the Zimbabwe Red Cross," continued Ms Kundishora. "And progress is being made. But we need the funds to go the last mile." For more information on the work of these ERUs, please refer to the attached 'ERU Fact Sheet' or visit www.ifrc.org/zimbabwe.

For further information, or to set up interviews, please contact:

Matthew Cochrane, southern Africa communications manager (Johannesburg) Tel: + 27 83 395 52 66 Paul Conneally, Media and External Communications Manager (Geneva) Tel: + 41 79 308 9809 Jean-Luc Martinage, Communications Officer, Global Health (Geneva) Tel: + 41 79 217 3386 Media service duty phone (Geneva) Tel: + 41 79 416 38 81