COVID-19 THREAT

HEALTH Minister Sylvia Masebo has done well to remind Zambians about the danger from Covid-19, that they still need to play their part in ensuring that it does not escalate.

It is common knowledge that Covid-19 has literally disappeared from everyday conversation compared to a year ago.

Yet, there have been a few cases of Covid-19 that have been reported around the country, highlighting the need for caution.

Ms Masebo said Zambia had continued to report cases of Covid-19 and have so far recorded 348, 798 cases, 4, 069 total deaths to date.

The nation has seen an increase of Covid-19 cases and in the last twenty-four hours, 13 new cases were reported, Ms. Masebo said in a speech read by Kalangwa Kalangwa, the assistant director health promotions, at the Covid-19 media re-orientation and research dissemination workshop in Lusaka at the weekend.

The workshop was a brainchild of Dziwa Science and Technology (DSAT), a not-for-profit organisation that Ms Masebo commended for coming up with the initiative to re-orient selected journalists countrywide post Covid-19. 

“One new admission with four on oxygen and one being critical. It is with this scenario that I urge the nation to continue with all measures pertaining to prevention of Covid-19,” she said.

But against a sceptic public, we feel it is the Ministry of Health that should take the initiative and resume public health awareness programmes.

The public need to be reminded that vaccines are still available and that the five basic rules on Covid-19 should still be maintained.

The public cannot be blamed for throwing the Covid-19 prevention guidelines to the winds when the authorities have taken a back-row seat.

When the World Health Organisation (WHO) declared that Covid-19 no longer represents a “global health emergency,” its head, Dr Tedros Adhanon warned that the removal of the highest level of alert did not mean the danger was over and said the emergency status could be reinstated if the situation changed.

“The worst thing any country can do now is to use this news as a reason to let down its guard, to dismantle the systems it has built, or to send the message to its people that Covid-19 is nothing to worry about,” he said.

The WHO first declared Covid-19 to be a public health emergency of international concern in January 2020.

That prompted the Zambian government to acquire and introduce a robust vaccination programme throughout the country against HIV infection which was largely a success.

We are glad that Ms Masebo has reiterated that the new dawn administration remains committed to supporting initiatives that are aimed towards the promotion of public health among others, bridging the information gap in Covid-19.

While such workshops should be encouraged, they must not just end up as mere talk-shows, but should come up with programmes that will trickle down to the communities where there is so much ignorance.

The catchword Covid-19 is real must be part of everyday vocabulary for the threat is still here.

[/ihc-hide-content]