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Zimbabwe’s response to the coronavirus outbreak
Cabinet received and adopted the weekly report on the national response to the Covid-19 outbreak as presented by the chairman of the ad-Hoc inter-ministerial task force on Covid-19, Honourable Vice President KCD Mohadi. Cabinet was informed that the cumulative rapid screening and PCR tests conducted had reached 63 347 (36 126 RDT and 27 221 PCR) as of 22 June, 2020.
The country has now recorded 512 Covid-19 confirmed cases, compared to the 387 reported on 15 June, 2020. The increase in the number of cases is attributed mainly to the influx of returning citizens. Most of the returnees are from South Africa, which has recorded the highest number of Covid-19 cases in Africa. The number of those recovered from the pandemic has increased from the previously 54 to 64, while the number of deaths increased from four to six. The deaths include a 60-year-old female, who resided at a farm compound in Gweru. She was a domestic worker for a couple, one of whom returned from the United States in February, 2020. The sixth death was that of a 79-year-old female resident of Bulawayo Metropolitan Province, who had underlying conditions that included hypertension, diabetes and gall stones.
Government wishes to re-assure the nation that currently all the district, provincial and infectious diseases hospitals are able to admit patients with mild to moderate symptoms who cannot self-isolate in their homes.
The Ministry of Health and Child Care will also conduct a three-week survey beginning 29 June, 2020, to determine the level of Covid-19 infection in the population. The exercise will entail national cross-sectional sero-epidemiological survey in the estimated sample size of about 2 000 households (average size of five members per household) across the nation.
Having received representations on the high regulatory costs for licensing medicines and on the approval processes for medicines used in Zimbabwe from the Medicines Control Authority of Zimbabwe (MCAZ) and the Medical Research Council of Zimbabwe (MRCZ), Cabinet resolved to waive the requisite regulatory fees for the licensing of traditional medicines for Covid-19 projects.
Concerning the opening of schools and the June 2020 examinations, preparations are on course. Schools have made adequate masks for use during the examination period. The Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education is ensuring adherence to the High Court ruling which compels the ministry to put in place all the necessary measures at all examination centres by 26 June, 2020 in order to safeguard the health and safety of learners, teachers and ancillary staff.
Universities have donated 10 000 litres of sanitisers, which are adequate for use by the 800 examination centres throughout the country. Furthermore, Treasury has availed funding for the drilling of boreholes and purchase of infrared thermometers.
Owing to the high demand for passports, Government will avail the necessary funding to enable the Ministry of Home Affairs and Cultural Heritage to resume the processing of passports for Zimbabweans, including those in the Diaspora.
Under the cash transfers to the informal sector members affected by Covid-19, the Ministry of Public Service, Labour and Social Welfare has paid cushioning allowances to a total of 197 000 people. The target is to reach one million beneficiaries.
The Harare and Bulawayo water situation remains depressed. As such, borehole drilling and rehabilitation is being undertaken in both Harare and Bulawayo to augment the water supplies. To improve the health and sanitation situation in prisons and correctional services, a further six boreholes were drilled at Chikurubi, Harare Central and Kadoma Prisons, which are part of the Covid-19 isolation and priority centres. Treasury released $7.4 million for the drilling of 10 boreholes in Bulawayo.
The information and risk communication sub-committee has intensified awareness programmes in the communities through the various traditional media platforms and door to door campaigns.
The message on reporting suspected border jumpers and those who abscond from quarantine has taken root in communities. This is confirmed by the reports being made by citizens to their traditional leaders and law enforcement agents regarding suspected cases.
The call centre which was opened at the onset of the Covid-19 outbreak as a two-way communication strategy between Government and the citizenry continues to receive valuable feedback from the citizens. The issues raised by the citizens are subsequently transmitted to relevant ministries for their actioning.
The Ministry of Foreign and International Trade is working with financial institutions to set an ad-hoc ticket loan facility that could enable the purchase of tickets by families who wish to repatriate students who have been self funding their studies abroad. Families in Zimbabwe would be able to borrow money from such a facility to purchase one-way tickets.
Update on the gastrointestinal disease outbreak in Bulawayo
Cabinet was briefed on the gastrointestinal disease outbreak in Old Luveve, New Luveve, Cowdray Park and Gwabalanda suburbs of Bulawayo by the Minister of Local Government and Public Works. A total of 1 500 suspected cases of the gastrointestinal disease had been attended to by 21 June, 2020, with nine deaths recorded. The outbreak is attributed to the 144-hour water shedding regime as well as the vandalism of outfall sewers.
In response to the disease outbreak, four treatment stations have since been set up and rapid response teams are currently conducting door to door inspections to determine the extent of the outbreak.
Cabinet has directed Treasury to immediately avail financial resources in order to contain the outbreak and address the water challenge in Bulawayo.
Some of the measures being currently instituted include:
- Water mains renewal;
- De-chocking of small diameter sewer lines within the household network; and
- Weekly water quality sampling.
Plans are also underway to increase raw water supplies to the City of Bulawayo through pumping water from Mtshabezi, Insiza, Inyakhuni dams, as well as the Epping Forest and Rochester Aquifers.
Salary and allowance reviews for civil servants
For purposes of clarity, the 50percent salary review and the US$75 Covid-19 allowance recently awarded to civil servants by Government is not part of the normal salary and wage review process. The increment was awarded on the backdrop of rising inflation which was eroding the purchasing power of the Zimbabwean dollar and the continued price increases. The normal salary and wage negotiations are expected to continue as normal, and should not be affected by the recently awarded salary increases.
Update on the implementation of the agricultural recovery plan
The Minister of Lands, Agriculture, Water and Rural Resettlement briefed Cabinet on progress made in the implementation of the agricultural recovery plan. Components of the plan, in which satisfactory progress has been recorded, include the following:
- The climate-proofed Presidential Inputs Support Programme (Pfumvudza Concept) is on course with 1 324 farmers and 1 117 agricultural extension workers having been trained. The training of trainers is now complete, while inputs procurement is at an advanced stage.
- The Command Agriculture programme for the 2020-2021 summer cropping season targets highly productive farmers on irrigated and dryland areas for the production of maize, wheat, soyabeans, traditional grains and sunflower. The programme is administered under a financial services sector-led commercial contract farming model.
- Regarding the mechanisation development programme, the assembling of semi-knocked down kits of combine harvesters, planters and tractors under Belarus support facility is underway.
The programme is to be administered through banks. The John Deere equipment supply facility is set to be launched by His Excellency the President on Thursday 25 June, 2020.
Other elements of the recovery plan in which satisfactory progress has been recorded are irrigation development; capacitating of extension services delivery; value chain financing; and promotion of sesame meed production for export. Further details on the recovery plan will be announced from time to time by the responsible minister.
Update on the US$12 billion mining industry by 2023
Cabinet received an update from the Minister of Mines and Mining Development on the attainment of the US$12 billion milestone in the mining sector. A number of existing and new initiatives were discussed. The programme is on course for achievement and a more detailed review will be released in due course.
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