Govt must prioritise essential service workers
ESSENTIAL service workers and workers at large are essential in responding to the multi-layered crises spotlighted by the COVID-19.
In particular, we highlight the deficiencies and the negative economic costs of State systems that do not have the capacity to address the multi-layered trauma nation-wide that is created, facilitated and exposed by both natural and man-made crises including the COVID-19 pandemic.
While the pandemic itself was, indeed, not fully anticipated, the question of the inability of State systems to respond to the socio-economic stresses caused by crises remains on the table of government.
This responsibility has been made graver by undermining of the role of workers within critical services arms of the State.
Essential service workers, delivering critical services in health, education, social welfare and water and sanitation, have been persistently de-prioritised and undermined as they acquit the critical care work which continues to be unrecognised, unrewarded and unsupported.
We continue to call upon government to fully address the conditions of service of all workers and invest in addressing the crises of poor health, education and social welfare system that unnecessarily undermine all socio-economic and political efforts directed at securing the rights of citizens sustainably.
We highlight the resumption of the education calendar and raise concerns regarding ensuring community-based surveillance systems are well supported to respond swiftly to incidents of potential localised outbreaks of COVID-19 in schools and in communities.
We note lessons learnt in prior resumption of schools and accordingly urge the following:
⬤Increased efforts to test students in public boarding schools and in community schools to stem the potential super spreader potential of infections in schools.
⬤Increased support for testing and tracing systems in schools prior to outbreaks spreading.
⬤We continue to remind government that vaccination is not a substitute for infection control.
⬤We urge decentralisation of supplies and materials from provincial centres to district centres to strengthen the response times and response capacities of teams on the ground.
⬤We continue to urge schools and communities to exercise the highest levels of vigilance and protect learners and learning institutions from widespread outbreaks of COVID-19. Women’s Coalition of
Zimbabwe