Doctors want more action on coronavirus
DOCTORS and civic society groups yesterday challenged the government to improve awareness campaigns and take a much stronger approach in its preparations against a possible outbreak of the deadly coronavirus.
On its part, the government said it was stepping up its preparations but warned people against circulating “false information” which it said was creating unnecessary panicking among fearful ordinary Zimbabweans.
All this comes as cases of the lethal virus are growing in Africa with Egypt and Algeria recording more cases yesterday.
All this comes as cases of the lethal virus are growing in Africa with Egypt and Algeria recording more cases yesterday.
Coronavirus has so far killed nearly 3 000 people in China alone, where it originated —sending the world into a huge panic, with many countries scrambling to avoid its spread in their nations.
Senior Hospital Doctors Association (SHDA) president Shingai Nyaguse told the Daily News that Zimbabwe was ill-prepared for the virus if it ever reaches the country.
Senior Hospital Doctors Association (SHDA) president Shingai Nyaguse told the Daily News that Zimbabwe was ill-prepared for the virus if it ever reaches the country.
“The public health specialists would be the best to speak about how to do this. All I can say is that our hospitals and health institutions are not in a position to deal with a large number of patients with severe symptoms,” Nyaguse said.
The Zimbabwe Association of Doctors for Human Rights chairperson Fortune Nyamande said it was high time the government considered issuing a travel ban until the situation normalised.
“The World Health Organisation (WHO) has not recommended travel bans from China but in view of the dilapidated healthcare system in our country we think it is a possible solution worth for all stakeholders to discuss and weigh its repercussions.“A lot needs to be done to scale up our preparedness. We need to expand the number of centres that have effective quarantine facilities across the country.“We need to complement the existing laboratory diagnostics with other radiological methods like CT scans which have been proven to aid clinical diagnosis,” Nyamande said.
On his part, the Community Working Group on Health director (CWGH) Itai Rusike challenged the government to ramp up public awareness campaigns, which he said currently appeared muted.
“The country’s porous land borders remain a cause for concern as unchecked migration and transport between countries could spread the virus quickly.“To avoid fear and panic, people must be provided with current, accurate and correct information about the disease,” Rusike said.
Health minister Obadiah Moyo last night cautioned against unsettling the populace through spreading falsehoods about the suspected coronavirus cases.
“We realise that there has been a lot of misinformation about the subject. At the same time this could cause unnecessary panic in some instances.
“I am not ruling out that the coronavirus is a danger and … a serious threat to Zimbabwe as well as the rest of the world.
“Let’s not listen to anyone who comes up with their own results. Await the official ministry results and as you have seen we are coming out and indicating any incident.
“We do not want to hide anything. It must never be a secret that there is someone who is suspected to have the virus.
“We will always talk about it and make sure that the nation knows the outcome,” Moyo told the media.
He said the government had resolved that students and other nationals in China should stay there for now as Zimbabwe did not have “any tried and tested medicines that can manage the virus”.
“The meeting feels that they are better off in China at this stage. We have spoken to some of the students and they have actually indicated that they prefer to be in China at this moment because if they were to get sick, there is already some treatment which has been applied which is successful.“They are better off in China rather than coming here, we haven’t even tried any treatment at all,” added Moyo.
Meanwhile, Epidemiology and disease control director Portia Manangazira has confirmed that the Chinese man picked up at the Robert Mugabe International Airport on Sunday on suspicion of showing symptoms consistent with coronavirus — had tested negative and due to be discharged from Wilkins hospital last night.