THE various strategies being employed in the ongoing fight
against the novel coronavirus will continue even after the pandemic has been
contained in order to improve the country’s readiness to deal with any similar
outbreaks in future.
Vice-President Dr Constantino Chiwenga said this yesterday
at Chipindura High School in Bindura, Mashonaland Central, while assessing the
province’s readiness to handle Covid-19 cases. The Mashonaland Central tour
followed a similar assessment mission in Mashonaland East on Friday. The
country’s top leadership is assessing the level of preparedness across the
country.
“Even when this pandemic is over we are going to continue
with such awareness programmes, and even the resources we have gathered will
not be taken away so that in the future when we have such pandemics, our people
will be better prepared and we are not found wanting,” said VP Chiwenga.
While well-wishers from all over the world could assist the
country in fighting the virus, he said, the onus to defeat the disease lay with
Zimbabweans.
“We may receive donations from outside, which is
appreciated, but we should know that we are our own liberators, we must deal
with this situation as Zimbabweans.”
He thanked ordinary people, corporates and other
organisations that have contributed in cash and kind towards efforts to curb
the spread of the disease. Returning residents, citizens or other foreign
visitors should be quarantined on entry at Government-controlled facilities to
stem the spread of the disease, he said.
The Vice-President also censured fake prophets who were
profiting by making false healing claims. In his remarks, Mashonaland Central
Provincial Medical Director Dr Clemence Tshuma said some of the materials the
province needed include personal protective equipment (PPE) and food for
frontline workers, ambulances and the setting up of an ICU (intensive care
unit) at Mvurwi General Hospital, which has been designated as the province’s
Covid-19 centre.
VP Chiwenga toured Chipadze Isolation Centre in Bindura,
Suwoguru Clinic in Mvurwi, Mvurwi General Hospital and other facilities in Mt
Darwin and Guruve. He was accompanied by Lands, Agriculture, Water and Rural
Resettlement Minister Perrance Shiri, Deputy Speaker of the National Assembly
Tsitsi Gezi, Home Affairs and Cultural Heritage Minister Kazembe Kazembe and
Mashonaland Central Provincial Affairs Minister Monica Mavunga.
Separately, VP Chiwenga also said Zimbabweans should
continue celebrating the sacrifices made by freedom fighters in liberating the
country from colonial bondage despite foregoing the national festivities.
“Those who will come after us will be told that this year’s
celebrations were unusual because we could not have our usual festivities due
to Covid-19. The celebrations were supposed to be held in Bulawayo in line with
our devolution principle; however, we will celebrate our independence in our
hearts and minds and remember those who perished or were maimed during the
liberation struggle,” he said. Sunday Mail
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