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Thandeka Moyo-Ndlovu, Chronicle Reporter
THE Ministry of Health and Child Care should equip members of the public with home-based care skills and provide for their safety as an effort to curb new Covid-19 cases and deaths in Zimbabwe.

Women’s groups have bemoaned the continued dominance of community deaths and infections in many communities and called on authorities to ensure that members of the public are saved from contracting the deadly virus while caring for the affected.

The organisations also called for the reopening of isolation centres so that home-based care givers are not at risk of Covid-19.

As of Saturday, 974 Zimbabweans had succumbed to Covid-19.

On the same day 484 new cases were recorded bringing the total number of active cases to 8 656.

From the outbreak of the global pandemic on March 22 last year, 31 007 cases have been recorded and 21 377 of those have recovered.

Of the 8 656 active cases, only 278 are hospitalised in health institutions countrywide and the rest are in home isolation.

Women’s Coalition chairperson Mrs Sally Ncube said the high number of those in-home isolation called for improved home-based care system to avert new cases.

“We continue to note that a high number of Covid-19 deaths are being recorded in households, of patients who have been receiving home-based care. Despite the total number of active cases, we are aware that only a limited are admitted to health institutions which means many are at home and at risk of spreading the disease to those taking care of them,” said Mrs Ncube.

She said it was worrying to note that about 30 percent of the Covid-19 deaths that occur these days are at community level.

“This brings to the fore discussions on home-based care and the support systems to assist such households. Reports from our networks indicate the non-operation of isolation centres in areas such as Kwekwe, Kariba and Bulawayo have forced people to isolate at home putting their lives and that of loved ones at risk.”

She said the closure of isolation centres was a risk to those giving home-based care as they are not trained and in need of personal protective equipment to be able to help the infected without endangering their lives.

“We call upon the Ministry of Health and Child Care to officially communicate and publicise information regarding the state of isolation centres and hospitals throughout all provinces and districts of Zimbabwe. We also appeal to Government to introduce and implement measures to support home-based carers and primary care-givers in order to ease their burden and to minimise further risk of transmission,” she said.

Mrs Ncube said ensuring isolation centres are safe and not overcrowded will ensure that women enjoy their rights fully while accessing sanitary aid and sexual and reproductive health services.

She also called on the Government to expand social safety nets and offset economic impacts for Covid-19 and the current lockdown.

“We further highlight that the lockdown can only be successful if citizens do not need to place themselves in danger as they seek to secure food, water and livelihood support,” she said.

She challenged the Government to increase access to social economic goods and services, as part of strong social protection systems.
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