Chronicle Editor
Sukulwenkosi Dube-Matutu/ Thupeyo Muleya, Chronicle Reporters
GOVERNMENT has acquired about 19 000 polymerase chain reaction (PCR) machines and will also be using Gene Xpert machines across the country for testing Covid-19.
Speaking yesterday afternoon at Gwanda Provincial Hospital during a visit to monitor progress in fighting Covid-19, Vice-President Kembo Mohadi, who is also the chairperson of the Ad-Hoc inter-Ministerial Committee on Covid-19, said it was crucial for the country to conduct as many tests as possible in order to make informed decisions.
“What is important is that we access the prevalence of the disease among our people and that can be done through testing. We gave ourselves a target as a committee that by end of April we had to have done 40 000 tests. Little did we know that some of the equipment was missing, some essential accessories such as primers which in turn stalled the exercise,” he said
“Health officials then indicated that they had Gene Xpert machines across the country which could be used for testing Covid-19. About 5 000 cartridges have arrived so that we can also use this machinery for testing.
“We now have about 19 000 PCR machines which have come and they haven’t all been deployed and this will help beef up our numbers. From here we hope to speed up the testing exercise so that as many people as possible get tested for Covid-19.”
VP Mohadi urged various stakeholders to voluntarily get tested for Covid-19 as Government was trying to contain the pandemic from getting out of hand.
Speaking on the state of preparedness of Matabeleland South Province in the fight against Covid-19, VP Mohadi said he was happy with the infrastructure. He said the province was however, facing a shortage of PPEs, doctors and ambulances which had to be rectified soon.
He said he had been informed by health officials that the province has a Gene Xpert machine.
If requisite cartridges are availed, PCR tests could be conducted within the province which was currently relying on Bulawayo, a development which would speed up the testing.
He said the 14-day lockdown extension which had been announced by the President will enable more tests to be conducted.
VP Mohadi said there was a problem of compliance with lockdown regulations and Government through law enforcement agents will enforce measures to ensure people comply.
“I pray that we don’t get to three digits in terms of Covid-19 deaths in the country. Let’s confine it as it is, let’s work on recoveries and let’s work on minimising infections through behaviour change and abiding by regulations,” he said.
He commended various stakeholders such as traditional leaders, churches, business community, miners, tertiary institutions among others for partnering Government in the fight against Covid-19. VP Mohadi also expressed gratitude to all well-wishers that had made donations towards this cause. He said the bulk of donations which the country had received were from locals.
VP Mohadi also toured the Gwanda Provincial Hospital isolation centre and the Joshua Mqabuko Polytechnic College quarantine facility.
In the morning, the VP was in Beitbridge, where he said Government is satisfied with the state of Beitbridge quarantine and Covid-19 isolation centres where returnees from South Africa will be housed upon arrival.
VP Mohadi toured the NSSA hotel, Beitbridge Hospital Female Ward and the Dulivhadzimu Bulky Market.
He said although there were some gaps in terms of the availability of adequate Personal Protective Equipment, a lot had been done on the ground to minimise the rapid spread of the virus.
Online Reporter