423 days of the COVID-19 Lockdown, and as of 24th May 2021, the Ministry of Health and Child Care reported that, the cumulative number of COVID-19 cases had increased to 38 706 after 10 new cases were reported, all are local cases. We note that the Hospitalisation rate as at 15:00hrs on the 24th of May 2021 were 25 hospitalised cases, 3 asymptomatic cases, 20 mild to moderate cases, 2 severe cases and 0 cases in Intensive Care Units. Active cases go down to 602. The total number of recoveries went up to 36 517 increasing by 46 recoveries. The recovery rate still remains at 94.3%. A total of 5 918 people received their 1st doses of vaccine. The cumulative number of the 1st dose vaccinated now stands at 639 553. A total of 7 151 recipients received their second dose bringing the cumulative number of 2nd dose recipients to 288 437. The death toll now stands at 1 587.
Critical emerging issue
Outbreak Scare at Dangamvura – Manicaland School
We highlight reports of an outbreak scare at Dangamvura High School in Manicaland. We note with commendation, the rapid interventions by the district COVID-19 Team and the school authorities to ensure that their COVID-19 protocols are alive and active. We commend the ability to survey the potential outbreaks and the testing that followed.
- We call for continuous vigilance in schools and communities to outbreaks.
- We urge active support in trauma counselling in the testing and tracing system
- We call for increased support to the testing system in the country.
Outstanding issue
Substantive Leadership in Critical Ministry of Health and Child Care Posts
We highlight reports that 5 major hospitals in Zimbabwe have been operating for over a year without substantive chief executive officers (CEOs). This is compounded by the continuing usage of Acting Directors in various departments in the Ministry of Health and Child Care. We continue to decry the delayed resolution of the Ministry restructuring exercise which was purported to enhance operational efficiency, effectiveness and accountability.
- We urge the immediate substantive appointments to fill in the vacant positions within the Ministry of Health and Child Care, which includes other senior positions of technical leadership of the Ministry.
- We urge prompt replacements for the 5 hospital CEOs.
- We further call for the respect of gender parity in all appointments.
- We continue to call for the appointment of gender experts at all levels of the COVID-19 response taskforce teams
Source: Women’s Coalition of Zimbabwe (WCoZ)
