Harare(New Ziana)-President Emmerson Mnangagwa on Friday ordered the freeze in the recruitment of medical staff to be lifted as part of national efforts to combat Covid-19.

The country now has five Covid-19 confirmed cases, including one resultant death.

In a twitter post, Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services secretary Nick Mangwana said the President made the decision during a meeting of the coronavirus inter-ministerial taskforce meeting held at State House.

“His Excellency, President Emmerson Mnangagwa has directed for the unfreezing of all frozen Ministry of Health and Child Care posts in order to beef up our capacity to fight Covid-19,” he said.

Government put a freeze on recruitment in the civil service, including the public health sector citing financial constraints.

Mangwana said the President had also assigned his deputies to oversee the country’s covid-19 response.

Health and Child Care Minister Obadiah Moyo chaired the eleven- member taskforce.

“In view of the seriousness of what faces the nation, President Mnangagwa has now assigned the chairmanship of the Covid-19 taskforce to the Vice Presidency, deputised by the Minister of Defence (Oppah Muchinguri),” tweeted Mangwana.

The taskforce is required to engage the private sector and Zimbabweans in the diaspora for support.

It is also expected to regularly update the President, Cabinet and the nation on the country’s state of preparedness and response to the Covid-19 outbreak.

The government announced a raft measures to prevent the spread of COVID-19, which the World Health Organisation has declared a pandemic, including declaring it a national emergency, banning gatherings of more than 50 people, closing ports of entry for non-essential travel as well as banning gatherings in beer halls, night clubs and gymnasiums.

New Ziana