Sadc in negotiations to mobilise funds

Leonard Ncube, Victoria Falls Reporter
REGIONAL co-ordination among Sadc member states is critical in mitigating the spread of Covid-19, the bloc’s Executive Secretary Dr Stergomena Tax has said.

In a statement on Sadc’s official Twitter handle, Dr Tax said the organisation is mobilising resources and support from partners to cater for identified gaps in terms of essential drugs, medicines and equipment.

“Negotiations with partners are ongoing. Sadc has partnered with the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (Unesco) on an initiative known as #LearningNeverStops to support Sadc member states in mitigating the effects of the coronavirus on education.

“Sadc is taking coordinated regional actions to contain Covid-19 and mitigate its social and economic impacts as the pandemic has diverse and cross cutting impacts. We depend on each other as a region,” said Dr Tax.

The 16-member bloc first recorded confirmed cases of coronavirus early last month and cases have been rising.

Countries in the Sadc region, including Zimbabwe, enforced total lockdowns in an effort to stop the spread of Covid-19.

“Sadc member states have taken measures to contain the pandemic by adopting World Health Organisation guidelines on Covid-19 and implementing various national level interventions such as setting up border and in-country testing centres, social distancing and cancellation of gatherings, adoption of self-isolation and mandatory quarantine for a minimum of 14 days and treatment for those that test positive among others.

“In addition, Sadc has taken coordinated regional actions to contain the spread of Covid-19 and mitigate its social and economic impacts,” Dr Tax said. She said measures taken by Sadc recognise that the effects of the coronavirus pandemic cut across many spheres resulting in diverse and complex challenges and devastating impacts.

Some of the measures taken by Sadc so far include establishing National Emergency Operations Centres to facilitate coordination of logistics and stockpiling for disasters at the national level, suspension of regional face-to-face meetings and instead utilizing modern technology, re-establishing and expanding the Technical Committee for Coordinating and Monitoring the Implementation of the Sadc Protocol on Health which continuously monitor and advice member states and adopting regional guidelines on facilitation of cross border transport operations across the region during the Covid-19.

She said member states are encouraged to produce and share on a weekly basis, status reports with recommendations for consideration on Covid-19. — @ncubeleon.