Dr Henry Madzorera says the COVID-19 rapid response teams are not rapid at the moment because they have no adequate equipment to do their job.
He said so direly is the situation that some times they won’t be having stationary to use in taking details. And that they are also not able to take specimens for testing.
Speaking during Tuesday Talk with Taku, Dr Madzorera said, “Our rapid response teams are not so rapid. You call them and tell them I suspect at number so and so in Mbizo there is a COVID-19 case can you please go and check, they go there, they don’t even have a piece of paper to write on.
“They dont have a swab, at times they will be putting on slippers, they dont have protective equipment, they have nothing.
“They just go and stand by the fence and talk to the person. What’s your name blah blah and that is all they do, we will come back to you, they never come back. They are not testing, they are not equipped.
“You ask them they tell you we have not been given test kits to test, that’s a problem,” he said.
Availability of PPEs in hospitals
Issues to do with personal protective equipment (PPE) have been topical in Zimbabwe. At one time, doctors had to go on strike for about three months.
The government has been reluctant to deal with the issue citing lack of fiscal leg-room. This is despite declaring a surplus every now and then.
Dr Madzorera however, urged the government to ensure that health practitioners are fully equipped especially the rapid response teams. He says this will help them to be effective.
“Make sure that the rapid response team are really rapid response teams and they go in and take specimens. They have the proper protective equipment, they are not afraid of doing their jobs.
“Right now we have doctors and nurses that are still running away from patients because they don’t have PPE, in the hospitals.”
COVID-19 Rapid Response teams not so rapid
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