HARARE, Jan. 20 (Xinhua) -- Three nongovernmental organizations in Zimbabwe have distributed cholera prevention kits to residents in Harare, New Ziana reported on Tuesday.

    Action Aid, Oxfam and the Methodist Development and Relief Agency distributed soap, aqua tablets and information fliers to residents in the Dombo Ramwari area as moves intensify to fight the epidemic that has killed more than 2,000 people countrywide so far.

    Speaking at the hand-over ceremony, Action Aid cholera response coordinator Mr. George Matonhodze said disadvantaged people as well as those living on the outskirts of the city were receiving less support and lacked knowledge about the disease.

    "We are targeting marginalized areas that we feel have not been receiving adequate information about the disease," he said. He said the kits would cover more than 5,000 households.

    Matonhodze pointed out that they had targeted Dombo Ramwari as it had recorded a high number of cholera cases." We have identified this area because it has been affected by the epidemic more than other areas but we will move to other places," he said.

    MEDRA relief program officer Junior Vutoyi said the area faced sanitation problems due to lack of clean water and ablution facilities.

    "Toilets in this area are not up to standard and people drink water from unprotected sources," she said. "The distribution of aqua tablets and soap is a milestone in improving the hygiene of residents."

    The households were each given a bar of washing soap, two packets of aqua tablets and fliers with instructions on the use of the pills.