The hard-hitting news of 20 nurses at Maphisa District Hospital, in Matobo district who tested positive for Covid-19 is something that worsens the access to basic health care challenges in Maphisa and Mat-South in general.
While Covid-19 confirmed cases have been increasing across the country, the feeling and reactions towards these confirmed cases is different when they are recorded at home.
Fear, panic, worry, shock, and anxiety are some of the reactions which people have when a big number of Covid-19 cases are confirmed near them, therefore, Maphisa residents are currently experiencing these feelings and reactions.
A section of Maphisa residents believe they have been in close contact with these health practitioners which means that they must go into isolation and be tested for Covid-19. Their worry is that they could be already infected with the virus, therefore, it is imperative that they self isolate themselves and be tested for Covid-19 immediately.
According to recent reports, the 20 nurses are already in self-isolation. It is believed that the increase of gold panners could be the root cause of these surging Covid-19 confirmed cases in the district.
The fact that health practitioners tested Covid-19 positive is a cause for concern. Nurses are part of the frontline workers fighting the pandemic. In addition, basic health care is delivered by health professionals in related health fields, and nurses are part of these health professionals.
Community members approach nurses at clinics to for medical advice or treatment. With the cost of living ever-raising in Zimbabwe, community clinics are the ones which people can still afford. It is costly to be examined by private hospitals and doctors. In essence, the news that 20 nurses have tested positive for Covid-19 worsen the lack of health practitioners in the district.
If the nurses are in self isolation, the hospital is left incapacitated; pregnant women with appointments in the district will be affected while more health practitioners are still needed infighting Covid-19. Majority of health practitioners are currently on strike demanding better salaries, therefore, when working nurses are being found to be Covid- positive, the delivery of basic health care is massively affected.
Community members have the right for the timely use of personal health services to achieve the best possible health outcomes, therefore, CYDT urges the Ministry of Health to treat Maphisa Hospital crisis with urgency. Most importantly, the Ministry must deploy more health practitioners in the district, and the province in general while those who tested positive are in isolation.
In addition, Personal Protective Equipment for frontline workers must be made available so they can fully protect themselves from this deadly pandemic in the process of trying to mitigate and eradicate its spread.
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