Staff Writer
A Health crisis is looming in Lupane district in Matabeleland North province following a temporary closure of Lupane and Jotsholo Rural Health Centres after members of staff tested positive to Covid-19.
This was revealed by Lupane district medical officer George Mutizira in a statement on Saturday.
“It is with regret to inform you that two above mentioned health facilities (Lupane and Jotsholo rural health centres) would be temporarily closed for the period of 14 days from 22 January 2021 after ten members of staff at Lupane rural health centre tested positive to Covid-19. We do not have any more staff to serve the clinic for the specified period,” Mutizira noted in a letter addressed to the Lupane District Coordinator.
He added: “At Jotsholo one of our staff members tested positive and is a contact to the rest of the staff members so all the staff members at Jotsholo Rural Health Centre are in quarantine for the specified period.”
Mutizira appealed for support from the stakeholders while the district health team is working on tracing contacts.
“The district health executive is doing all it can with limited resources to do contact tracing and manage the cases. I take this opportunity to request for your support and the stakeholders’ support.”
This comes at a time; the pandemic has shaken the country, killing hundreds while also claiming lives of top government officials as the rate of infections continue to rise.
In his State of the Nation Address (SONA) ON Saturday President Emmerson Mnangagwa reaffirmed his commitment to save the people of Zimbabwe from the agony brought about by Covid-19 declaring that the country will spare no effort and no resource to save the lives of the country’s citizens.
He however pinned his hope on the much anticipated Covid-19 vaccine which he said will soon be rolled out.
“We will spare no effort, spare no resource to save the lives of Zimbabweans. We will spare no effort to protect our frontline staff who have served us remarkably well under very challenging conditions in these trying times. They are the heroes and heroines of our nation and should receive priority protection so they in turn protect you, me, all of us.
“Once we receive the vaccine and it will be quite soon, they will be the first ones to be inoculated. Government has and is engaging countries which have developed vaccines. Help and relief are on their way. Our experts who have been assessing different vaccines are very close to finalising the course to recommend to our nation,” Mnangagwa said.
