By ANDREW MUKOMA
MEASURES to control possible spread of the coronavirus has seen over 200 truck drivers quarantined in Livingstone, leading to an appeal for emergency food.
Recently, Ministry of Health through the Livingstone District Health Office declared the Livingstone Institute of Business and Engineering Studies (LIBES) as a COVID-19 quarantine centre.
The centre is mainly targeting cross border truckers particularly those that are coming from high risk countries like South Africa.
However, some drivers are reportedly refusing to co-operate with health personnel who have been deployed to undertake samples and tests at the centre.
Some drivers talked to by the Nation said that the situation was not conducive for them because they were being inconvenienced by government.
“The situation is very bad and it appears government was not ready for us drivers being quarantined. There is no food supplies and water and also the toilets are very dirty so, as long as there is no food supplies, we will not accept to be kept at LIBES because we need to look for food,” one of the drivers said.
“Let DMMU help us since they are keeping us here for 14 days and we have no food and no money. Let government provide us with food supplies to sustain our stay because we don’t have relatives in Livingstone.”
The exercise of stopping truck drivers from proceeding to their various destinations has been intensified with the help of Road Transport and Safety Agency (RTSA).
Meanwhile, lecturers who reside on the LIBES campus have expressed worry with the presence of truck drivers who are suspected to be carriers of COVID-19.
They have charged that the situation might turn out to be bad because they are mingling with the drivers who are moving freely without being monitored.
200 stranded truckers cry for food
