President Mnangagwa sets up Covid-19 taskforce

Harare(New Ziana)-President Emmerson Mnangagwa on Tuesday set up an 11 member Inter- Ministerial Task Force chaired by Health and Child Care Minister Obadiah Moyo to coordinate efforts to fight the coronavirus.

Dr Moyo is deputised by Local Government and Public Works Minister July Moyo.

Other members includes Ministers Mthuli Ncube of Finance, Oppah Muchinguri of Defence and War Veterans Affairs, Sibusiso Moyo of Foreign Affairs, Kazembe Kazembe of Home Affairs, Cain Mathema of Primary and Secondary Education, Biggie Matiza of Transport and Infrastructure Development, Nqobizitha Maenzanise of Environment, Monica Mutsvangwa of Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services, and Professor Amon Murwira of Higher and Tertiary Education.

In a statement, Chief Secretary to the President and Cabinet Dr Misheck Sibanda said the task force would raise awareness on the pandemic and mobilise resources to adequately respond to the pandemic.

“The following terms of reference will guide the task force’s operations: to monitor the situation and manage the response to the COVID-19 outbreak and identify any gaps for corrective action; to raise the general awareness of the public on the pandemic; to mobilise domestic and international financial resources to adequately respond to the outbreak,” he said.

The taskforce is also 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.

“As chairman of the taskforce, Dr Moyo is required to make use of the Civil Protection Unit which has the requisite geographical spread and representation for maximum, effective, collective response and action as displayed in the management of the Cyclone Idai disaster,” said Dr Sibanda.

Zimbabwe recorded its first COVID-19 related death on Monday from the two cases that have so been detected in the country.

The Zimbabwe government has 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 outside beer halls, night clubs and gymnasiums.

The pandemic, which originated in the Chinese city of Wuhan in December last year, has so far claimed over 14 000 lives and infected more than 336 000 people throughout the world.

New Ziana