1 500 Zim healthcare workers battling Covid-19

Harare (New Ziana)- Zimbabwe’s Health Service Board (HSB) on Wednesday said seven frontline workers have died from Covid-19 while more than 1 500 others are battling the disease.

In a statement, HSB chair Dr Paulinus Sikhosana said the board was concerned with deaths and infections of health workers .

“The Health Service Board and Ministry of Health and Child Care note with great concern that of close to 50,000 members of the health service, 1,547 health workers are reported to have tested positive for infection by Covid-19, and that 7 are reported to have succumbed to the infection,” he said.

Dr Sikhosana said more nurses had been employed to help cope with the virus’ resurgence.

“With Treasury authority, the Health Service Board is employing an additional 500 nurses.
“The available 200 nurses have already been deployed as follows – 80 to Parirenyatwa (30 of whom will support Wilkins Infectious Hospital), 70 to United Bulawayo Hospitals (20 to support Thorngroove Infectious Hospital) and 50 to Matabeleland South (support surge from border crossings),” he said.

Dr Sikhosana said 49 junior doctors had also been deployed to five central hospitals across the country.

Zimbabwe, like much of the world, is battling a second wave of Covid-19.

The country has recorded over 550 deaths since March 2020, with cumulative cases now more than 23 239.

The second wave of Covid-19 prompted government to tighten lockdown restrictions this month.

New Ziana