By Loness Gwazanga
Blantyre, May 14, Mana: Blantyre District Medical Officer (DMO), Dr Fatsani Zaziwe Gunda has said time has now come for health workers in the country to be applauded for their tireless work towards fighting Covid-19 pandemic.
On May 9, 2020, Minister of Health, Jappie Mhango announced that five health workers from Blantyre District Health Office (DHO) were among 13 new Covid-19 registered cases, taking the total number to 56 since the first case was reported on April 2, 2020.
He told journalists on Wednesday that the fact that five health workers under Blantyre District Health Office (DHO) tested positive to the pandemic really shows how they are putting their lives on the knife.
“Health workers are bracing themselves every day in order to serve the nation and to keep everyone safe. They know they know they can get infected but still come to work to serve you, to serve the nation and to keep everyone safe.
Health workers do all the sacrifice to keep populations safe, so we in authority and you the served need to join efforts in supporting their well-being and safety and the safety of their families,” Gunda pointed out.
The DMO urged the public to stop discriminating them but rather be supportive and commend their sacrifice.
“In other countries, where people understand the value and sacrifice these brave men and women are taking, and what their families do go through daily, populations applaud and support them.
“DHO is therefore appealing to the public to refrain from harassing health care workers in any form but rather encourage them to adhere to set infection prevention (IP) standards at all times and applaud them for their sacrifice,” he explained.
As a way of ensuring safety, the office has embarked on a mass screening for its workers to make sure that there is no re-infection.
Gunda said that, “This exercise started on May 7, 2020 with all health workers who have been screening travellers since January and all those who have worked for Kameza Isolation Centre.
We have so far screened 82 workers out of which five came out positive for Covid-19. Fortunately for us, the five are all in good health and we hope they remain and recover without symptoms.
So far, Blantyre has recorded 16 Covid-19 cases thus according to Ministry of Health.
