The ManicaPost
Samuel Kadungure
Senior Reporter
GOVERNMENT took a proactive approach in responding to the Covid-19 pandemic by developing an eight-pillar strategy before the detection and confirmation of the first case on March 21, 2020.
Although at the time our health system had its own inherent challenges stemming from limited funding and brain drain, Zimbabwe was among the first adopters and implementers of Covid-19 vaccination and other prescribed protocols to contain the spread of the disease.
Government employed a raft of tactics and containment measures like physical distancing, contact tracing, quarantining of exposed individuals and lockdowns, to help control the spread of the virus.
Zimbabwe recorded 264 848 Coronavirus cases since the pandemic began, according to the World Health Organisation (WHO).
The country reported 5 575 deaths.
To reduce the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on the economy and livelihoods of the poor, a US$2.2 billion domestic and international humanitarian appeal was launched on April 2, 2020.
The country’s response to Covid-19 was robust, with testing done at various public and private health facilities
The funds were aimed at fighting Covid-19 and improving critical health spending, water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH); food insecurity; and social protection.
These interventions saw a remarkable decrease in the number of Covid-19 cases and deaths.
lncreased roll-out of vaccines, a raft of policy measures, including Statutory Instruments and Presidential Decrees, effectively put Covid-19 pandemic under control and rebooted the economy and society.
When the Covid-19 outbreak was declared a global pandemic in March 2020, Government stepped up its preparedness efforts to fight the disease through the Ministry of Health and Child Care.
Measures implemented included screening passengers arriving from regional and international destinations, creating testing and isolation centre, and providing training on infection control to health personnel.
Additionally, the ministry started giving daily updates to the public about Covid-19 through its official website and social media platforms.
Zimbabwe recorded its first confirmed case of Covid-19 on March 21, 2020, and by March 27, 2020, seven cases had been reported in the country, with four of those having travelled abroad.
Zimbabwe introduced vigorous containment measures of contact tracing, physical distancing and mandatory wearing of face masks in public places to contain the virus
By the end of March 2020, several additional measures had been instituted, including a declaration of Covid-19 as a national disaster and the National Covid-19 Preparedness and Response Plan launch.
Government instituted a number of policies, institutional and operational measures to combat and contain the pandemic and reduce its negative impact, especially on the poor and vulnerable members of society.
Government started constructing medical isolation centres as an intervention to mitigate the spread of the disease.
On March 23, 2020, in an address to the nation, President Mnangagwa banned gatherings of more than 100 people, later reduced to 50 people, and also announced the closure of schools, bars and night clubs.
National events were also postponed, while hospital visits were restricted.
The country went on to introduce tough and vigorous containment measures of maintaining physical distancing and mandatory wearing of face masks in public places against the spread of the virus.
Essential services that included hospital services, state security services, emergency services, money transfer and exchange services, among others, were the only ones allowed to continue to operate during the pandemic.
On May 1 2020, President Mnangagwa announced a stimulus package for vulnerable populations.
On Saturday, May 16, 2020, the President extended the nationwide lockdown for an indefinite period, with a view to easing out of the lockdown in a strategic and gradual manner.
The President also exercised his powers through Statutory Instrument (S1) 96 Presidential Powers (Temporary Measures) (Deferral of Rent and Mortgage Payments during National Lockdown) Regulations, 2020.
This Act allowed tenants and mortgagors to defer paying rent and paying off their mortgages until after the national lockdown ended.
The Act also restrained owners from evicting tenants and mortgagors for the duration of the lockdown.
Government invested in sanitisation and disinfection booths at several public places to avoid the spread of Covid-19
On July 21, President Mnangagwa imposed curfew from 6pm to 6am, which limited business operating hours and implored all non-working sections of the population to stay at home, except for securing food, water, and health services.
Enforcement of these restrictive measures was done through coordination among various Government arms such as port authorities, the police, the military, the Ministry of Health, and local authorities.
A four-tier risk level response was introduced to inform public health interventions.
As of June 9, 2021, the country had recorded the second lowest prevalence of cumulative Covid-19 cases (39 432), compared to other Sadc countries like Mozambique (71 019), Eswatini (18 632), Namibia (57 577), Botswana (56 217), Zambia (98 376) and South Africa (1 691 491).
The country also made remarkable strides in increasing Covid-19 testing by decentralising the testing capacity throughout the country, with both public and private facilities taking part.
Government approved five vaccines – Sinovac, Sinopharm, Covaxin, Sputnik V, and Janssen, for the vaccination of the citizens, with a target to vaccinate about 10 million individuals aged 18 years and above by the end of 2021.
Some of the vaccines were imported by Government and donated by friendly nations like China and Russia.
Zimbabwe adopted a position to pivot the molecular testing platform for TB and HIV to test for Covid-19 in public laboratories.
The country also invited and accredited private laboratories to perform PCR and lateral-flow Covid-19 tests.
By January 29, 2022, the country had managed to perform a total of 1 971 574 tests against a population of 15 201 977, translating to a testing average of around 13 percent.
It was among the first African countries to implement Covid-19 vaccination, with the first vaccine administered on February 18, 2021.
The vaccination programme kicked-off on February 26, 2021 and was phased to prioritise vaccination of vulnerable populations such as healthcare workers and elderly people, with Phase One targeting health workers and frontline workers like those working at the country’s entry points.
The second and third phases of the vaccination were aimed at those with chronic health conditions, the elderly, essential workers like those in education, and subsequently the rest of the adult population above 18 years.
The vaccination programme saw an initial slow uptake with periodic peaks, with over 3.46 million citizens having been fully vaccinated, constituting 23 percent of the eligible adult population.
Brick upon brick, Zimbabwe is developing
The country established over 64 isolation facilities in Manicaland (seven), Harare (six), Bulawayo (three), Mashonaland West (six), Mashonaland East (eight), Masvingo (six), Matebeleland South (six), Matebeleland North (seven), Mashonaland Central (six) and Midlands (nine).
Government set up a National Covid-19 Response Taskforce — headed by Cde Kembo Mohadi, comprising of representatives from different ministries, to monitor the pandemic situation and coordinate the response to the crisis.
Government also unveiled an $18 billion Economic Recovery and Stimulus Package aimed at revitalising the economy and providing relief to individuals, families, small businesses and industries impacted by the economic slowdown caused by the Covid -19 pandemic.
The main aim was to provide liquidity support to all the productive sectors of the economy and protect employment through minimising Covid-19 effects.
The Exchange Control Regulations were also amended on March 29, 2020, to allow citizens to pay for goods and services chargeable in ZWL in foreign currency using free funds at the offical rate on the date of payment.
Government provided financial assistance to vulnerable families every month for three months effective April 2020.
The country followed a phased approach to school closing and re-opening, with a full closure of face-to-face learning from March to mid-September 2020.
The closure of schools led to the introduction of online and radio learning.
This initiative later saw Government enhancing access to ICTs by rural and urban public schools in the country.
Most schools have now digitalised the education space since the divide between the underprivileged and privileged has been narrowed.
