CHIEFS’ Council president Chief Fortune Charumbira has said
they were forced to stay with a suspected Covid-19 patient for two days after
health officials failed to respond on time when reached through the national
hotline number 2019.
Chief Charumbira and his subjects in Masvingo apprehended
the suspect soon after arrival in his area from South Africa, allegedly through
an illegal crossing point.
The Chief told the Senate last week that he was
disappointed that he failed to get help after calling the 2019 hotline. He said
they took the suspect to a local police station but they were turned away.
From the police, Chief Charumbira said he hired a vehicle
that took the suspect to Masvingo Provincial Hospital where he was then
quarantined.
“We did capture a person who illegally escaped from South
Africa in Masvingo and we wanted him to go and be tested. We dialed 2019 and
there was no response. At first, they used to respond but now they no longer
answer. I once used this number and they came and took the suspected persons
twice. This weekend we tried the number and Harare answered and referred us to Masvingo,
we did not get any response from Masvingo,” he said.
Chief Charumbira said they took the person to a police
station in Masvingo where the police allegedly refused to assist them.
“We took the patient to the police station and the police
refused to accept that person, they said dzokerai naye, dzokerai naye (go back
with him, go back with him). We phoned the police for two days they did not
come. We then hired a car and took that person to the hospital where he was
admitted. I hired a car, where do I go to claim my money? My question is who do
we call for help in situations like this?,”he said.
The Deputy Minister of Health and Child Care Dr John
Mangwiro said if people fail to access the Covid-19 rapid response teams, they
must seek the assistance of the police or visit their nearest health
institution.
“I apologise for what you encountered. I would like to
appreciate the action that you took. However, the police denied to help you and
you ended up taking the person to hospital. Yes, there are numbers that you can
use but if you fail to get through those numbers, you can take the person to
the nearest hospital,” he said.
Deputy Minister Mangwiro said police officers who refuse to
assist people should be reported to their superiors.
“I urge you to report police officers who do such things to
their seniors. If it is hospitals that are not cooperating, there are senior
doctors and nurses you can report to. What happened is not something that we
look forward to. You are doing a great job by apprehending border jumpers and
taking them to the police or hospital,” he said. Herald
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