Health workers set to gather COVID-19 information

THE Health and Child Care ministry has roped in 1 000 community health volunteers countrywide to gather updated information on COVID-19 infections.

This comes amid reports that a second wave of COVID-19 is wreaking havoc in Europe and other countries that have since extended their COVID-19 lockdowns.

Zimbabwe has experienced a spike of nearly 1 000 infections in the last 25 days, and currently, the number of infected people has exceeded 9 300 with 274 deaths.

Director of epidemiology and disease control in the Health ministry, Portia Manangazira, told participants during a workshop in Mutare that the 1 000 community health workers would work with communities to mitigate the spread of infections.

“As part of a national response strategy aimed at limiting human-to-human infections locally, the Ministry of Health is reaching out to community health workers so that every community is covered in gathering accurate information about COVID-19 infections,” she said.

“Zimbabwe has not been spared by the latest wave of infections, with nearly 1 000 infections in three weeks. We must brace for commitment to stop local infections. Let us work together to have a free zone of infections.”

Friday Chisanyu, the founder of Zimbabwe National Practitioners Association, said there was need to work with the Health ministry to ensure behaviour change among traditionalists and faith leaders.