News / National
Zimbabwe has six months supply of Covid-19 test kits
01 Aug 2021 at 18:09hrs | Views
ZIMBABWE has more than six-month supply of Covid-19 test kits.
This came out during a parliamentary question-and-answer session on Wednesday when the Health and Child Care Deputy Ministry was asked to confirm if any sick members of the public were being turned away from healthcare centres without being tested for Covid-19.
By 28 July 2021, Zimbabwe had 103 567 confirmed cases, including 71 383 recoveries and 3 340 deaths.
To date, a total of 1 562 285 people have been vaccinated against Covid-19.
In response to Mutoko South legislator Cde Herbert Mushamhini, Professor Amon Murwira, who was standing in for the Minister, said the Government was doing everything to ensure there is no further spread of the global pandemic.
Cde Mushamhini had asked whether the country has adequate testing equipment especially in rural areas.
"My response to your question is that this country, since last year, is adequately prepared in terms of testing equipment. As I speak, we measure our testing supplies in terms of months of stocks. Currently, we have six months' supply of testing kits, meaning we are well ahead in terms of the testing kits issue," said Prof Murwira.
"What might happen is that some areas may quickly use up their supplies, but as a country, we are adequately equipped for testing. We also continue buying more test kits so that we have enough time and enough resources to test our people," he said.
Bulawayo Metropolitan MDC-A representative Ms Jasmine Toffa enquired about the measures the Government is taking to curb the spread of Covid-19.
In response, Prof Murwira urged members of the public to take seriously the message on health that is being disseminated on Covid-19.
"Our Ministry, including the Ministry of Information, is on television and on radio telling us about the dangers of this disease. It is incumbent upon this august House as well to make sure that we can take positive steps which are deterrent as well to people who willingly do so," he said.
A total of 1 062 657 Covid-19 tests have been conducted since the first case was detected in Zimbabwe last year in March.
As of Wednesday, the positivity rate stood at 17 percent.
This came out during a parliamentary question-and-answer session on Wednesday when the Health and Child Care Deputy Ministry was asked to confirm if any sick members of the public were being turned away from healthcare centres without being tested for Covid-19.
By 28 July 2021, Zimbabwe had 103 567 confirmed cases, including 71 383 recoveries and 3 340 deaths.
To date, a total of 1 562 285 people have been vaccinated against Covid-19.
In response to Mutoko South legislator Cde Herbert Mushamhini, Professor Amon Murwira, who was standing in for the Minister, said the Government was doing everything to ensure there is no further spread of the global pandemic.
Cde Mushamhini had asked whether the country has adequate testing equipment especially in rural areas.
"My response to your question is that this country, since last year, is adequately prepared in terms of testing equipment. As I speak, we measure our testing supplies in terms of months of stocks. Currently, we have six months' supply of testing kits, meaning we are well ahead in terms of the testing kits issue," said Prof Murwira.
"What might happen is that some areas may quickly use up their supplies, but as a country, we are adequately equipped for testing. We also continue buying more test kits so that we have enough time and enough resources to test our people," he said.
Bulawayo Metropolitan MDC-A representative Ms Jasmine Toffa enquired about the measures the Government is taking to curb the spread of Covid-19.
In response, Prof Murwira urged members of the public to take seriously the message on health that is being disseminated on Covid-19.
"Our Ministry, including the Ministry of Information, is on television and on radio telling us about the dangers of this disease. It is incumbent upon this august House as well to make sure that we can take positive steps which are deterrent as well to people who willingly do so," he said.
A total of 1 062 657 Covid-19 tests have been conducted since the first case was detected in Zimbabwe last year in March.
As of Wednesday, the positivity rate stood at 17 percent.
Source - chronicle
