By Lloyd Takawira Features Writer
For long Zimbabweans had been reading about confirmed cases of COVID-19 in South Africa, United Kingdom and Italy to mention a few but now reality has dawned on us. The country has recorded two confirmed cases of the deadly virus.
Confirmed by the world health organization as deadliest pandemic so far with over 200 000 people infected across the globe while almost 10 000 have perished.
Speaking to the media, Zimbabwe Doctors for Human Rights (ZDHR) secretary-general, Dr Norman Matara said Zimbabwe lacks the gravitas to fight the deadly pandemic.
He bemoaned our government’s preparedness in the face of COVID -19 with the revelation that we lack basic essentials such as protective clothing.
“We do not have adequate personal protective equipment for health worker, especially in the provinces and districts. Health workers are not confident of the safety and are sceptical to respond to the suspected case.
“We also need management protocols to teach to all the hospitals in Zimbabwe. From data from countries with high cases of Covid-19 we have learnt that about 2 of cases will require ICU admission. In Zimbabwe, we have only four functional beds in Harare. The identified isolation centres do not have ICU capability.”
WE CANNOT AFFORD CHEAP POLITICS
Dementation and political dwarfism in the face of a crisis has become politicians way of operating, having the pleasure to score cheap political goals in the face of the pandemic.
From Information deputy minister, Energy Mutodi jokingly saying that men should shun prostitutes as they are the biggest carriers of the coronavirus, a claim not medically and scientifically backed to Defence minister, Oppah Muchinguri Kashiri’s claim the novel coronavirus to the United States and other Western world is punishment for the sanctions imposed on Zimbabwe; while the Principal continues his globetrotting and galivanting; addressed a fully packed rally in Manicaland and flew to Namibia despite having announced lockdown.
OF TWITTER THEATRICS AND HISTRIONICS
In the age of information explosion and rapid information, dissemination fears can be easily stoked using social media but alas our seeking to outwit each other on various social media platforms have gone on overdrive on Twitter.
Unconfirmed reports state that award-winning journalist, Hopewell Chin’ono was flagged by Facebook for dishing out what proved to be “FAKE NEWS” about COVID-19. Others such as Presidential spokesman, George Charamba ululate while insinuating that the ban on public gatherings is a huge blow to those who love demonstrations a dry jibe to the opposition while others such as Nelson Chamisa rush to announce new cases of coronavirus much to the protocols. Others like Linda Masarira not because they are orderly but because their enemy errors they resurrect not to offer solutions to the problem before us but to rebuke a fellow politician in a demeaning way evidently clear of her attention-seeking. The question is can our politicians shove up their political fortunes in the face of a debilitating crisis such as COVID-19.
ZIMBABWEANS AND DARK HUMOUR
Probably inherited from the first citizen President Mnangagwa, Zimbabweans on social media have not taken the pandemic seriously with uninspiring jokes doing the rounds. Question is? Do we afford jokes in the face of a pandemic?
SOBBERNESS AND REFLECTION
As the war against COVID -19 intensifies there is need to mirror, acknowledge and reflect the numbers which are perishing each day while at the same time economies are screaming. From an economic view, a negative GDP for Zimbabwe is now highly likely, while the economy is in turmoil projection of 0,8% growth is now nowhere near vicinity. Even the IMF has since revised the 2020 global economic growth forecasts to levels below last year.
In the face of COVID -19 our energy should not be expedited on trivial things such as should “shake shake ” building disseminate information on the virus or that” Morgan Tsvangirai House” should provide the information but our concern should be vigilant in the face of COVID -19, to pull in one direction as evidenced by South Africa. A sign of unity was exhibited where President Cyril Ramaphosa and EFF’s leader, Julius Malema addressed the media with one voice. Why can’t Zimbabwean leaders emulate that?
