Everyone’s duty to keep coronavirus at bay

13 Mar, 2020 - 00:03 0 Views
Everyone’s duty to keep coronavirus at bay Fighting COVID-19 is a national issue that calls for every citizen to put their shoulder to the wheel.

The ManicaPost

Nobleman Runyanga Correspondent

During the course of this week, South Africa recorded more than 10 cases of COVID-19.

Since the emergence of the virus in China in January, talk on the streets and the social media has centred on the state of the Zimbabwean Government’s preparedness in dealing with the virus.

To its credit, Government has gone all out in preparing for this. The Wilkins Infectious Diseases Hospital in Harare is the centre for the isolation and testing of suspected cases.

So far, the facility has handled five cases, with three of them testing negative. The other two cases are still being monitored.

As a member of the United Nations (UN), Zimbabwe is receiving guidance and advice from the World Health Organisation (WHO) on how to handle the cases. The country is therefore not on its own as doomsayers would want the world to believe.

The Chinese government has pledged to refurbish and equip Wilkins Infectious Diseases Hospital to improve its capacity to handle suspected and confirmed cases.

To this end, China is set to dispatch a team of experts to visit Wilkins Hospital to assess the facility’s needs as part of the Eastern Asian country’s initiative to assist African countries to deal with the coronavirus.

Success in any endeavour is not about meeting one’s objectives single-handedly. Success can be achieved through partnerships. Even developed countries also tap into the benefits of partnerships.

Government is doing its best to deal with the situation at hand, especially considering that the country’s economic circumstances are compromised by the sanctions.

Some citizens have accused Government of hiding information on COVID-19 cases, with the case of the Mutare woman who died on her way to Wilkins Hospital being a good example. Government did not hide anything on that matter.

Besides, what does Government stand to gain by hiding such information? Making such information available actually benefits the citizens and Government as well. Once confirmed cases are made public, they are made global and bodies such as WHO can come in with assistance.

But for now, the people of Zimbabwe to know that anyone can contract the virus. They need to take precautions against the disease.

While some people expend so much energy criticising Government with regards to its preparations, they are not doing their own bit to protect themselves from contracting the virus.

Preventative measures include constant and consistent washing of hands. People also need to avoid crowded places and shaking hands. Yet visits to church gatherings and weddings indicate that it is business as usual.

The confirmed cases in neighbouring South Africa have failed to galvanise the people of Zimbabwe into taking the disease seriously.

Fighting COVID-19 is a national issue that calls for every citizen to put their shoulder to the wheel. The battle can only be won if both Government and members of the public are prepared for the fight. 

While Government oversees the testing and isolation of patients, it cannot monitor every individual to ensure that they are washing their hands. There is a limit to what Government can do in fighting the disease.

The Minister of Health and Child Care, Dr Obadiah Moyo, has also stressed the need to take precautionary measures at individual level.

Going forward, Government needs to increase the dissemination of information on the processes that people need to follow when travelling. They need to obtain certificates indicating their status on coronavirus.

Travellers from affected areas should also co-operate with health authorities until they are cleared.

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