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Herald Reporter
Private health institutions treating Covid-19 patients without being assessed and registered by Government have been told to stop forthwith as the full wrath of the law will catch up with them.

Already, public health teams are visiting health facilities to check on compliance levels.

Secretary for Health and Child Care Dr Agnes Mahomva revealed this yesterday during a Press conference.

“The ministry has learned and noticed that some private facilities that have not been officially assessed and registered are springing up as Covid-19 clinics.

“These facilities are operating illegally, are a danger to Covid-19 patients and communities around them and should stop operating with immediate effect until they have completed all registration processes.

“Our public health teams are in the process of visiting such facilities and others for compliance checks and action accordingly,” she said.

Following the declaration of the Covid-19 pandemic as a national disaster by President Mnangagwa, Dr Mahomva said all efforts had been put in place to ensure the Government and private sector approach to the national response was in place.

She said the Ministry of Health welcomes offers by several private institutions to support the management of Covid-19 cases.

The management of infectious diseases and formidable epidemic diseases in Zimbabwe is guided by provisions of the Public Health Act.

Said Dr Mahomva: “Since Covid-19 is an infectious disease that was declared a formidable epidemic disease, any private facility intending to manage Covid-19 disease (including testing, isolation and treatment) should duly apply to the permanent secretary in the Ministry of Health and Child Care for assessment, approval and registration in line with the Public Health Act provisions.”

Government is working flat out to ensure public health facilities were prepared to handle the pandemic.

Recently, Vice President Constantino Chiwenga and Deputy Minister of Health Dr John Mangwiro toured Parirenyatwa, Corporate 24, St Annes, Marondera and Mahusekwa hospitals, among others, to assess their level of preparedness.

Work is underway at various hospitals, both public and private, to ensure they have capacity to handle the disease.