AT LEAST 50 inmates due for release at the Beitbridge
quarantine centre might leave without knowing their COVID-19 status because of
delays in releasing results by the government.
Most, including eight recently recruited government
environmental health technicians destined for Matabeleland North, some civil
servants, eight truckers and other ordinary citizens, have already overstayed
by seven days at the facility.
Health ministry spokesperson Donald Mujiri did not respond
to questions while the director of epidemiology in the ministry Portia
Manangazira said the questions sen to her were a "tirade that could not be
directed to her."
"I do not think so (that they are questions) it is
just a tirade and I am not sure it is correct to direct that to me," she
said.
Matabeleland South provincial medical director Ruth
Chikodzore told NewsDay on Monday that the there was a backlog at Mpilo Central
Hospital.
"There is a backlog at Mpilo which I understand has
been addressed, so they are working to clear it," Chikodzore said.
However, Mpilo clinical director Solwayo Ngwenya dismissed
the allegations.
"It is not true. Maybe it is the laboratory department
which is run from Harare," he said.
The returnees said they were now awaiting the second tests
before they could be released, adding that results had taken more than a week
to come.
"I work in South Africa doing essential services and I
have all my documents in order. I was coming to pick another truck after my off
duty. There were about 20 of us who arrived at Beitbridge on April 26. We were
tested for the first time and the second tests were taken on Monday last
week," an inmate, who refused to be named, said.
"It is now over a week and we are still waiting for
our results for which authorities are putting the blame on broken down
equipment at Mpilo."
He said the results only took two days and their attempts
to raise concern were met with threats of violence from security personnel.
Health workers at the centre are clearly overworked and
last week ran out of rapid test kits, delaying processing of travellers and
inmates only got masks this week.
Inmates, who have overstayed, complained they were mixing
with new arrivals, risking exposure if any of the newcomers were sick.
"New arrivals and those due to be released mix. There
is no social distancing during meals. We do not have adequate bath water,"
one of the truckers said.
Meanwhile, there was confusion among government departments
yesterday over reports that eight Zimbabwean returnees had escaped from a
Beitbridge quarantine centre.
The country has received over 3 000 South African-based
locals in recent days that have been sent into quarantine in Beitbridge and
other centres in districts of Matabeleland South.
"There are 197 people at Beitbridge quarantine centre
as of today, eight absconded and 22 were discharged. Forty-nine are still
awaiting their results. Efforts are underway to account for those who absconded,"
Information permanent secretary Ndavaningi Mangwanga posted on Twitter.
Mangwana was not reachable for comment, but Chikodzore and
provincial police spokesperson Assistant Inspector Philisani Ndebele professed
ignorance over the issue.
"I have not received that report; also you have to
realise that the centres are not managed by the ministry of Health alone. There
are other stakeholders such as the law enforcement as well," Chikodzore
said.
Ndebele said: "As far as we are concerned, we don't have
that report." Newsday
0 comments:
Post a Comment