News that we possibly now have corona virus infection on Zimbabwean soil is extremely worrisome.

We however wish to acknowledge the Ministry of Health and Child Care’s statement dismissing such news as fake news, and stating that as of 15/02/2020, no case or suspected case of COVID-19 has been detected.

We wish to reiterate what we have said in the past, which we believe the government should do. Let me take opportunity to remind the nation that HIV/AIDS was first detected in certain groups in the American population, including homosexuals and intravenous drug users.

The Americans acted on it. Africa, and in particular Zimbabwe, stayed in denial for years and did not act. Today HIV/AIDS is an African problem, and the Americans now come to Africa to study HIV infection!
COVID-19 is once again going to end up an African problem because of the denialist attitude of our government.

We need robust preventive interventions NOW to avoid being the epicenter of the pandemic tomorrow.

To that end we implore the government:

1. To STOP ALL movement of people from China to Zimbabwe. It doesn’t matter what kind or quantum of investment they may purport to be bringing, let them stay in China till the epidemic is over.
2. To QUARANTINE all people from China for a period of three weeks. This so called self-quarantine at home DOES NOT WORK! It shows our government is not attaching any value to the lives of Zimbabweans, but rather is keen on pleasing their Chinese counterparts for whatever scrapes they are getting. Once the virus comes into Zimbabwe it will be extremely difficult to stop its spread.
3. Zimbabweans should stop visiting China for whatever reason they may be going there. Anybody who goes to China should either stay there till the pandemic settles, or be put into mandatory three week institutional quarantine on return.

I took a patient to a public health institution today and what I observed was a pathetic lackadaisical approach to duty by health workers, as if they were on a go slow. We don’t have committed health workers at the moment, and government should stop fooling us. There was no single medicine to give to the patient, and everything, including suture material was to be purchased at a private pharmacy in town by relatives. This gave me insight into the government’s self-proclaimed state of preparedness. If we can’t treat a simple case of assault, can we handle COVID-19?

1. Lastly, we wish to implore the government to quarantine all people who came in from China over the past two weeks in institutions, and prevent the same from using our overcrowded public transport system.

If we don’t invest in prevention today, we’ll pay heavily tomorrow through high mortality and high cost of treatment, both of which we can’t afford.

Dr Henry Madzorera
Secretary For Health
Movement For Democratic Change