ZCA donates towards Covid-19

Sukulwenkosi Dube-Matutu, Gwanda Correspondent
CHURCHES have urged the public to remain on alert for Covid-19 as reopening of borders was likely to expose especially those from the southern parts of the country.

Speaking during a presentation of a donation to the District Development Fund (DDF) quarantine centre which is housed at the DDF training centre in Gwanda on Wednesday Zimbabwe Christian Alliance (ZCA) executive director, Reverend Useni Sibanda said people had to be alert especially now that other countries were recording a second wave of the pandemic.

ZCA donated blankets, mattresses, toiletries, detergents, liquid soap, sanitisers, gloves, infrared thermometers, knapsacks, masks, sanitary pads, buckets and water dispensers to the quarantine facility.

The quarantine facility has been operating with limited resources.

Rev Sibanda said churches conducted a needs assessment at the quarantine centre.

“We visited the quarantine centre last month to conduct a needs assessment as we wanted to identify areas where we could assist. This is a response to the call by Government for various stakeholders to assist in the fight against Covid-19. As an organisation we are concerned as a second wave of Covid-19 is upon us.

“What is more concerning is that people seem to have relaxed. This is however, the time for us to be on high alert. As borders are set to open we will have more people entering the country especially the southern parts of the country which will leave many people exposed. Illegal entry of people through undesignated points is also a cause for concern,” he said.

Rev Sibanda said the ZCA had come in to assist quarantine centres in Matabeleland South, Matabeleland North, Midlands and Bulawayo provinces. He said the donation made to DDF quarantine centre comprised 60 beds, 35 mattresses, 287 bottles of petroleum jelly, toothpaste and bath soap, 49 by 5 litres all purpose cleaner, 20 by 5 litres liquid soap, 10 by 5 litres hand sanitisers, 11 packs of gloves, two infrared thermometers, five knapsacks, 160 masks, 184 packs of sanitary pads, 95 by 20 litre buckets and 10 by 20 litre water dispensers.

Also speaking during the handover ceremony Gwanda social development officer, Ms Sithandazile Bhebhe said the donation would assist the quarantine centre which was struggling to function due to limited resources. She said deportees that have been housed at the facility have been exposed to harsh conditions which forced some of them to escape.

“We would like to thank the Zimbabwe Christian Alliance for this intervention as it will go a long way in assisting the facility. The facility has a capacity of 50 beds but it only had 20 mattresses and as a result some inmates were sleeping on the floor while others were sleeping on bed bases. There was also a shortage of blankets and these harsh conditions were forcing some of the inmates to escape as they didn’t have access to essential services. We need such interventions at all our quarantine facilities,” she said. — @DubeMatutu