Cholera victims flea Zimbabwe for help

(NECN/ABC) - The cholera outbreak in Zimbabwe is so desperate, its victims are crossing borders into other countries to get help. The disease is hitting the poorest and the most vulnerable. And it is spreading. "If you've got cholera in Zimbabwe and you don't manage to buy your own drips, your own medication, there is no public health to talk about -- you definitely will die," said one refugee. The crisis is compounded by political infighting. The power sharing deal between President Robert Mugabe and his rival Morgan Tsvangirai has fallen through. There is little clean water and the country's sanitation system barely functions. There are no other fluids to keep people hydrated. Without this, they die. Just a week ago, the government insisted the situation was under control, blaming western sanctions for the outbreak. Some in the international community blame one man for the crisis. "It's well past time for Robert Mugabe to leave. I think that is now obvious," Condoleezza Rice said. ''He's destroyed a wonderful country," said archbishop Desmun Tutu. "A country that used to be a bread basket -- it has now become a basket case itself needing help.'' Until Zimbabwe gets that much needed help, more people will be buried. The cholera crisis in Zimbabwe is now becoming a regional problem, as countries like South Africa and Mozambique helping out, health resources are being stretched to their limits. ABC's Lama Hasan reports from London.