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Zimbabwe's cholera epidemic, which started in August, has been aggravated by erratic water supplies, shortages of water purification chemicals, broken water and sewer pipes and uncollected garbage.

Cholera is an intestinal disease cause by bacteria in contaminated water.

The epidemic was followed a month later by a strike by doctors and nurses demanding a review of their salaries. They are demanding that archaic hospital equipment be replaced and that medicines be available in hospitals. The health emergency comes at a time when Zimbabwe is mired in the worst economic crisis it has faced since it gained independence from Great Britain in 1980.