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Herald Reporter
Government has said the framework and budget for risk allowance and insurance for health workers managing Covid-19 patients has been agreed on.

Updating journalists on the post-Covid-19 Taskforce daily meeting at State House in Harare last night, Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services Minister Monica Mutsvangwa said: “The framework and budget for risk allowance and insurance for health workers managing Covid-19 patients has been agreed on.”

This comes as some frontline health workers were reportedly demoralised and reluctant to put effort in helping Covid-19 patients due to lack of financial incentives.

Minister Mutsvangwa expressed concern over the high number of people violating the regulations.
As at yesterday, 3 251 people had been arrested for violating lockdown measures.

“It is disheartening to note that some citizens are willing to put themselves and those around them at risk by flouting the lockdown regulations,” said Minister Mutsvangwa.

“To date 3 251 people have been arrested across the country for violating lockdown measures.”
Minister Mutsvangwa encouraged people to continue practicing the protective and preventative behaviour recommended by health experts.

She said they had received reports from the taskforce’s sub-committees, with Health and Child Care Minister Dr Obadiah Moyo presenting strategies for public health intervention and structures.

The strategies, which are at national, local and individual levels, include the matching of resources to existing actions, identification of required infrastructure at national and local levels and filling existing gaps.

Minister Mutsvangwa said each province and district had identified temporary admissions, isolation and treatment units.
“The assessments and mapping of all potential isolation facilities is in progress and is 80 percent complete,” said Minister Mutsvangwa.

She said three quarantine centres for returning Zimbabweans and legal residents were ready and functional.
Minister Mutsvangwa said the information and communication sub-committee chaired by her ministry submitted that translation of all material into the 16 official languages was in progress.

The Ministry of Health and Child Care call centre using the toll free number, 2019, was up and running and should deal with clinical issues, while the Ministry of Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services was to run another toll free line to deal with non-clinical matters arising from the Covid-19 pandemic and Government’s preparedness and response plan.

Local Government and Public Works Minister July Moyo and Minister of Home Affairs and Cultural Heritage Kazembe Kazembe, who chairs the law and order committee, also made their presentations.