Zimbabwe’s health minister has announced a national emergency resulting from a deadly cholera outbreak and called for international assistance.

Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe is trying to cover up the extent of a cholera epidemic in the country, doctors say. Medics protesting outside the Parirenyatwa Hospital in Harare were beaten by riot police last week as they called for Mugabe to provide drugs and intravenous drips for cholera victims, The Sunday Times of London reported.

Text of report by privately-owned Zimbabwean weekly newspaper The Standard website on 4 October [Report by Vusumuzi Sifile : "Cloud Over State Varsities"] The crisis at state universities has reached unprecedented levels with all major centres of learning failing to open for the first semester of the 2008/2009 academic year.

Text of report by South Africa-based ZimOnline website on 26 September [Report by Wayne Mafaro: "Doctors Warn of Looming Health Disaster in Zim Cities"] Harare - A Zimbabwe doctors' organization has warned of a looming health disaster in the country's cities and said a new power- sharing government to be formed by the country's rival political leaders should act urgently to provide clean water in urban areas.

Text of report by privately-owned Zimbabwean weekly Financial Gazette on 18 September The distribution of emergency food supplies to starving peasants across the country after a four-month suspension of relief aid has resumed.