Minister warns against fake Coronavirus results
UNSCRUPULOUS people involved in the issuance of fake Covid-19 negative certificates will be dealt with sternly and will be met with maximum force, Government has warned.
And the State is disheartened with reports that the country does not have the capacity to store the Covid-19 vaccine which it is yet to procure.
Minister of Health, Jonas Chanda warned of stern action against unscrupulous people involved in the issuance of negative 19 Covid-19 certificates.
He directed the ministry and other regulatory agencies to quickly move in and take action by reporting the culprits to the law enforcement agencies.
He assured that the ministry would continue to take action against elements eroding trust in the health service delivery system including those tied to the issuance of fake Covid-19 certificated and charging for services that are offered for free.
He said the government was committed to restoring the trust and confidence of the Zambians and the outside world in the health systems of the country.
Meanwhile, Dr Chanda said contrary to the assertions the country had an effective cold storage chain capacity which was well outlined in the National Vaccine Deployment Plan.
He said Zambia had a functional cold chain system and routine infrastructure utilised for the Expanded Program on Immunisation (EPI).
He described the assertions as cheap propaganda.
Dr. Chanda said the country’s cold chain capacity provided for the strengthening of the current infrastructure once the acquisition and deployment of the vaccines were approved by Cabinet.
He said Government was committed to making the necessary strides towards preparations for Covid-19 acquisition and deployment.
“It is disheartening to note social media purporting that Zambia does not have the capacity to store the Covid-19 vaccine, I wish to state that the stories are unfounded and should be disregarded as cheap propaganda,” Dr Chanda said.
Dr. Chanda said this in a statement on the Covid-19 situation where he announced that the country had recorded 580 new cases out of the 5, 565 tests conducted with eight new deaths recorded.