Nurses run away from 'Ebola' patient

THERE are loopholes in the Zimbabwe's Ebola prevention mechanisms, Deputy Health and Child Care minister, Paul Chimedza has admitted but added that the government is working on plugging them.

Speaking at a one-day provincial people's conference organised by ZimRights on Friday, Chimedza said the Wilkins Hospital Ebola scare provided an opportunity for the country to test its preparedness in dealing with the deadly disease, which has claimed over 4 500 lives in West Africa.

This come after claims that nurses ran away from 'Ebola' patient.

The Gutu South legislator reassured the nation that Zimbabwe was still Ebola-free, saying in the event of detection, government would not hide its presence.

"We cannot hide Ebola when it is recorded here. After all, the tests are done in South Africa and obviously the information will be known," he said.

"It is not only government that is into the Ebola fight. There are other interested parties like the United Nations, for example. If there is Ebola, we will come out in the open. It is not [Health minister David] Parirenyatwa or Chimedza's disease."

Parirenyatwa last week said his ministry urgently required an additional US$3,5 million to adequately prepare for an outbreak of the Ebola virus.