HARARE, Dec. 10 (Xinhua) -- The Southern African Development Community (SADC) is compiling a comprehensive report of all the things that Zimbabwe needs to fight cholera as Zimplats led the private sector in donating cash to fight the scourge, The Herald reported on Wednesday.

    The report, says SADC, would help the region deal with cholera amid reports of outbreaks in Zambia, South Africa, Botswana, Mozambique and Tanzania. The outbreaks are, however, endemic to countries like Zambia, Mozambique and the Democratic Republic of Congo.

    The SADC team, which has been in Zimbabwe since Monday, comprises experts in water and sanitation, HIV and malaria control and prevention and is mapping ways through which the region can fast respond to health emergencies.

    Speaking after meeting Health and Child Welfare Minister Dr David Parirenyatwa in Harare, Joseph Mthethwa, who is leading the SADC emergency team, said the mission was not confined to Zimbabwe but would be extended to other countries experiencing similar problems.

    Mthethwa said SADC would present the report to health officials from countries in the SADC Troika on health comprising the chair South Africa, Zambia and DRC before an emergency meeting of their health ministers.

    The mission is part of the expanded SADC mission meant to make the region more responsive to the needs of its citizens. The team will gather information on the burden of cholera, efforts being made to control the disease, national response, human resources and capacity to deal with the disease.

    Mthethwa said the exercise would culminate in the mobilization of resources to fight cholera in the region and to strengthen regional water and sanitation capacities through the provision of water reticulation equipment, piping and chemicals, among other things.

    The SADC team has so far visited some cholera hotspots and was expected to meet officials from the Ministry of Water Resources and Infrastructural Development before its departure.