Shortage of consumables hamper COVID-19 tests for returnees

BULAWAYO Metropolitan Affairs minister Judith Ncube yesterday revealed that shortage of consumables for COVID-19 testing has led to returnees overstaying at quarantine centres.

Her remarks came in the wake of a protest by returnees housed at the United College of Education (UCE) on Monday who were demanding to be tested after overstaying at the centre for 18 days.

“I got the report that they were protesting on Sunday and 100 of them ended up getting tested after such a long struggle. We are having a problem of getting consumables, hence the reason why it is taking so long for returnees to get tested. The consumables are very scarce and the government has been trying its best to get them from outside the country as soon as possible,” she said.

“Government is trying its best that every time it manages to get consumables, returnees are a first priority so that they get tested and leave for their homes in no time.”

A returnee quarantined at UCE said the other inmates were protesting because they had overstayed at the centre.

“People were protesting saying they want to be tested because they have stayed there longer than what the government had promised. But finally after a long struggle and push that’s when the health department came in to test about 100 returnees,” she said, adding that officials at the centre were not giving feedback to the returnees.

Quarantine centres are now coronavirus epicentres in the country.

Officials, according to reports, are not separating tested from untested returnees.

The facilities are also overcrowded, with as many as 14 returnees, in some cases, sharing one dormitory, bathroom and toilet.