Hon Temba Mliswa: Thank you Madam Speaker, I think we have to take seriously the COVID -19 pandemic. I say so because on behalf of many Members, our condolences to ZBC Reporter, the late Janet Munyaka.
I say so because she was quite dedicated to her duty and was a professional. What really pains me is she definitely got infected while at work. What are we doing to ensure that these people who are dedicating their time to serve this country are protected?
What has ZBC done to ensure that there is some tracing in terms of everybody at ZBC. We have not read about that.
The fear is that as Parliament, through our role of oversight, we must be able to encourage institutions to be protected. It is quite sad that we allow our dedicated men and women to work without taking cognisance of the fact that from a health point of view, they have to be protected.
The same as this Parliament, why can we not have a situation where we are tested monthly or twice a week because we do not know who is positive here. I say so because my own sister and Hon Member for Hurungwe West and Provincial Minister of State, Hon. Mary Chikoka was infected.
It is through the grace of God that she survived. It was acute and in no time she was in ICU under incubation. It is a miracle for her to survive. I have learnt that only until it happens to somebody close to you, can you appreciate it. I am hoping that it does not happen to anybody close to you so that we protect ourselves.
The staff and the Ministry of Health must be commended. Our health professionals must be commended because they have gotten into that point understanding covid and as a result they are able to treat it. In that ICU unit, three people died. May we not be reckless with life to get to hospital? Let us not try to get to hospital because we are now more or less under people with a profession which we are not sure of. I say so Madam Speaker because we must take it seriously.
I see Ministers sitting close to each other and yet in the dedication of duty they are exposed– all of us as Members of Parliament are exposed with people. What assurance can we get in this institution that we are all safe?
That is the reason why I am imploring your good office that as of tomorrow – because we do not want to go back home and infect our families, may we get tested so that we know our status and take the necessary remedies that ensure that we are okay and we do not spread it. COVID-19 is real.
Once again condolences to the Munyaka family. She was dedicated to duty and other people in that profession too, want some assurance. How then are they going to be protected and so forth? COVID is real – unless and until somebody close to you gets it can you really understand it is there.