Assessing the Effectiveness of Disaster Risk Reduction Strategies for Preventing Artisanal Mining Induced Cholera Outbreaks in Shamva District, Zimbabwe.

Author
Dube ,Trish H
Title
Assessing the Effectiveness of Disaster Risk Reduction Strategies for Preventing Artisanal
Mining Induced Cholera Outbreaks in Shamva District, Zimbabwe.
Abstract
Cholera outbreaks that are brought on by artisanal mining pose a serious risk to a community's health and well-being. The Shamva district's ward 19, which frequently experiences cholera outbreaks, is the key subject of this investigation. The region has seen a sharp rise in artisanal mining, which has led to worse living conditions, contaminated water supplies, and inadequate sanitation, all of which raise the risk of cholera transmission. Data was gathered through focus groups, observations, and interviews with citizens, artisanal miners, local community leaders and healthcare professionals using a qualitative research approach. The method guarantees a thorough comprehension of the lived experiences, socioeconomic impacts, and attitudes about cholera of artisanal miners and local community members. The results show that cholera outbreaks occur often, particularly during the rainy season, and that mining communities with inadequate sanitary facilities are disproportionately affected. Although there are certain DRR strategies, like awareness campaigns and emergency responses, they are not always used and have inadequate funding. The study comes to the conclusion that cholera in artisanal mining areas cannot be effectively controlled by the DRR measures currently in place. It suggests a more long-term, community-based strategy for managing water supplies, sanitation, and health education. These upgrades are essential for enhancing public health resilience in high-risk regions like Shamva, which will benefit local authorities, the public, and medical professionals while guaranteeing artisanal mining populations a safer living environment.
Date
June 2025
Publisher
BUSE
Keywords
Disaster Risk Reduction
Artisanal Mining
Cholera
Supervisor
Dr. N. Chanza
Item sets
Department of Disaster Risk Reduction
Media
Dube ,Trish H.pdf

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