Government of Zimbabwe Steps Up Interventions in Hotspots
The coordination and referral system for Government hospitals has been strengthened to accommodate Covid-19 patients from outside their normal service areas after intensive care units in Mashonaland West Province hotspot areas were unable to cope with the latest wave of infection in that area.
Moving patients to other units in other areas where there are spare beds, ensures health authorities remain in control and well-placed to quell the effects of the pandemic.
There were more than 12 000 active cases countrywide on Saturday, with Mashonaland West easily the worst affected with 31 percent of the total, or 3 725.
Of the 12 014 ill people, only 356 needed hospital care and of those 21 needed to be in intensive care.
But the health system has readied more centres to cater for Covid-19 patients, and in particular has ensured that patients from more remote areas and small towns, where intensive care is limited, can be moved to the larger hospitals in the larger centres where such units are normally present.
Most of the ill people in Mashonaland West come from small towns or villages.
Zimbabwe has won international plaudits for the way authorities have handled the pandemic and the Government is imploring the citizenry to take heed of expert advice, including accepting vaccines, and minimising social contact through adherence to prescribed protocols.
Deputy Minister of Health and Child Care Dr John Mangwiro said ICU beds in hotspot areas of Mashonaland West have been taken up, but said that systems were in place to move patients to where there were spare beds.
“What happens is that a place will have a certain number of ICU beds, but this pandemic is unpredictable, so we encourage transfers.
“Our ambulance services are getting stronger. We have a chart to see where it is full and where it is not so that patients can be accommodated anywhere,” said Dr Mangwiro.
“We also encourage private hospitals to take care of patients as prescribed by the law and avoid overcrowding them. If things really go bad we can expand, and other hospitals not taking Covid-19 patients will start doing so.”
He said the operation of defeating this pandemic was now premised on the increased uptake of vaccines as well as adherence to the prescribed containment measures.
President Mnangagwa has already urged citizens to take up the Covid-19 vaccine, which he described as the best way out of restrictions that have seen people across the world being confined to their homes to avoid the spread of the pandemic.
Zimbabwe is expected to take delivery of 2 million more doses on Thursday and another 1.5 million at the end of the month, followed by more orders of 1,5 million doses each month.
WHO has urged Zimbabweans to take advice only from the Ministry of Health and Child Care on the containment of the pandemic.
The WHO is taking action over a claim by a local company that it has a drug that can be used to treat Covid-19, and is using the WHO logo without authorisation in its advertising. WHO is not aware of any drug that can cure Covid-19 and has not authorised the advertisements with its logo.
“The World Health Organization (WHO) notes with concern the unauthorised use of the WHO logo by several entities to advertise their products,” reads part of the statement. Recently, an organization, Live Well, used the WHO logo on an advertisement for products supposedly used to treat Covid-19. WHO has not worked with Live Well and does not endorse their products.
“The use of WHO logo is only done after formal authorization to do so by WHO. Appropriate action will be taken in instances where abuse has been noted.”
“Remember Covid-19 has no cure. Please protect yourselves and your loved ones by following guidance provided by the Government of Zimbabwe through the Ministry of Health and Child Care.”
By The Herald.
