Zim Red Cross to offer Covid-19 isolation and treatment centres

Mirirai Nsingo

The Zimbabwe Red Cross Society is set to turn its facilities across the country into Covid-19 isolation and treatment centres.

This comes as the southern African country has recorded 9 cases of Covid-19, one death and tested just above 300 people.

ZRCS head of communication Kim Stambuli said they are already working with the Government to set up the facilities.

“We are working closely with relevant authorities so that we turn our facilities into isolation and treatment centres.

“This is meant to ensure that the government decentralises its response to Covid-19.”

Isolation and treatment for Covid-19 in Zimbabwe remains centralised in Harare which is currently the epicentre.

Health experts have expressed concern with the centralisation of isolation and treatment centres at a time when the country received over 13 000 residents from South Africa.

Harare City Health Director, Dr Prosper Chonzi said while Harare is currently the epicentre of the epidemic, the coming of the 13 000 residents from South Africa could change the face of the epidemic, hence the decentralisation of isolation and treatment facilities is critical.

“We had over 13 000 residents who returned from South Africa ahead of its lockdown. This can easily change the face of the epidemic if intensive case finding is done.”