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Joseph Madzimure-Senior Reporter
GOVERNMENT is committed to provide front line health workers such as doctors and nurses among others with personal protective equipment (PPE) to ensure their safety as they attend to Covid-19 patients.

Speaking soon after meeting with senior doctors at his Munhumutapa offices in Harare on Friday afternoon, chairperson of the Ministerial Taskforce on Covid-19 Vice President Kembo Mohadi said:

“They (medical personnel) also raised issues of their safety. They said they don’t have enough PPE. Psychologically, it affects everybody. If they came in contact with a patient with Covid-19, you don’t know whether you have contracted or not. They need to be tested as well so that they are on the safe side. Some of them are even scared of going to their families, they end up isolating themselves.

“It will become difficult to isolate themselves within their own homes because they have their families. They are suggesting that if they could have a place such as an apartment where these doctors that deal with the pandemic can actually stay until this pandemic has been eradicated. Then they can be tested and be reunited with their families. They said this is what they want and we agree with them.

“We will have to do everything possible to protect our frontline soldiers. Our doctors and nurses need to be protected especially during the fight against the pandemic,” said VP Mohadi.

He said they had a frank discussion with senior doctors on Covid-19 matters.

“I had a meeting with senior hospital doctor’s association on Covid-19 matters. We discussed quite a number of issues.

“They raised issues on testing. The testing of the people that are suspected of having Covid-19 should be done expeditiously and that we should actually move out of Harare and go to other outlining areas.

“They did indicate that Harare should be the centre, where we should do a lot of sampling because of the airport. Most of the people that come from outside might bring the virus. There is need for sampling. People in places such as Chitungwiza and other areas should sampled using existing facilities. We need to do more testing. We are not happy.

“I am equally not happy myself that we have only tested about 400 people. We need to have tested more. The same will apply to Bulawayo, they have got an international airport there. There is a possibility therefore, that we might have people that might have sneaked into the country without our knowledge who may infected others. We need to do that,” he said.