Zimbabwe police charge protestors, cholera spreads

By Nelson Banya

HARARE (Reuters) - Zimbabwe riot police wielding batons broke up protests by doctors, nurses and union members on Wednesday and the death toll from a cholera epidemic blamed on the country's spiralling crisis jumped to 565.

Trade unions have called protests over a shortage of increasingly worthless cash while at least 100 health workers protested to demand better pay and conditions at a time they are fighting Zimbabwe's worst cholera outbreak on record.

The once relatively prosperous economy has collapsed and any hope of rescue is on hold while veteran President Robert Mugabe and opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai are deadlocked over implementing a power-sharing arrangement.

Riot police with shields and batons broke up a group of about 20 demonstrators marching towards the central bank.

Across town, police dispersed about 100 health workers who had converged outside the health ministry.

Public hospitals have largely shut down due to drug and equipment shortages, as well as frequent strikes by doctors and nurses pressing for better pay. They have been ill-equipped to cope with the cholera outbreak.

The U.N. Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs said cholera had killed 565 people and infected over 12,500 Zimbabweans. Hundreds of Zimbabweans have fled to South Africa for treatment, adding to pressure for greater regional involvement to pull Zimbabwe back from total meltdown.

The Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Unions said almost 50 union members -- including General Secretary Wellington Chibebe -- had been arrested. "Another 10 in Harare were heavily assaulted by the police," it said in a statement.