All public health workers fighting Covid-19 will be getting
protective equipment that has now arrived in Zimbabwe and is being rushed to
all centres, while risk allowances are being processed with just details to be
negotiated.
Health and Child Care Minister Dr Obadiah Moyo said in an
interview with ZTN yesterday that 20 000 kits of personal protective equipment
donated by the Jack Ma Foundation arrived on Tuesday and are now being rushed
to all centres for distribution to frontline health staff who have said they
cannot cope without this equipment.
On the risk allowances, professional associations were
working out figures for the Health Services Board but the Government has
already agreed that money would be found to pay these allowances.
In addition to the personal protective equipment and the
risk allowance, Government has also approved a substantial amount for car loans
meant to ensure that all health workers use safe transport as they travel to
and from work.
Yesterday the Progressive Doctors Association of Zimbabwe
denied members had withdrawn labour but said that protective clothing had to be
issued to front-line staff promptly if they were to attend to patients and
appealed for the risk allowances to be sorted out quickly.
Association president Dr Benson Dandiro said health staff
“cannot attend patients without protecting ourselves” and that the doctors had
already been in contact with the minister who had promised swift action.
“We hope by Thursday (today) most of the hospitals staff
will receive their protective clothing,’’ he said.
Dr Dandiro also dismissed rumours that their members had
downed tools.
“Our members are at work. No one has downed tools as we
speak. We are committed to provide service to the nation, but we are appealing
to the Government to provide protective clothing to health workers. As we speak
our members are at their work stations,” he said.
“Of paramount importance is the safety of all essential
services that should remain functional. To that effect personal protective
equipment for all health care workers who are at the highest risk of getting
infected while trying to help fellow citizens is essential. The need for this
equipment can never be over emphasised and is urgent at this point in time to
ensure uninterrupted services.
“The Government needs to ensure all healthcare workers are
protected at all levels, from the nurses, to the doctors, to the cleaners, to
admin staff. The doctors we represent are willing to provide their services if
the personal protective equipment is available at their work stations. We
impress upon our employer to see the importance of all health care workers and
the services we provide and to consider incentivising them in these times, as
this is not an easy time for them as well,” he said.
The minister, in his interview, echoed the sentiments of
the doctors.
He said one of Government’s priorities was to make sure
that all healthcare workers are taken care of during this crisis period.
“First of all, I want to advise health workers that
Government is working very hard to make sure that not even a single member of
the health care workforce gets sick or gets infected with Covid-19 while at
work,” said Dr Moyo.
The protective equipment was being distributed and
allowances were being sorted out.
“Government is also realising that this is a very risky
business. Everyone is scared of Covid-19 but the healthcare workers are there
to make sure that everyone is taken care of. Therefore, there has to be a risk
allowance. The Minister of Finance has been instructed to make sure that the
health workers are given a risk allowance. Their various associations are going
to be sitting down with the Health Services Board to make sure that a package
is put up,” said Dr Moyo.
Meanwhile, Government yesterday cleared up an ambiguity in
a previous statement and said the third confirmed case of Covid-19 had no
contact with the second case. The figure of confirmed cases remains at three
with 96 others taken for testing coming out negative.
In its daily update, the Ministry of Health and Child Care
said the third case was a man who travelled from Dubai on March 15. He is being
fully co-operative and is helping the health teams trace all his contacts since
his return, said the daily update statement. Herald
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