In its quest to support government in efforts to reduce the impact of Covid19, the forum has started an online petition on https://zim-covid19-petition.com/ to push for stricter restrictions that will ensure Zimbabwe flattens the curve.
It is no secret that the Zimbabwean health system has not been functioning optimally even before the pandemic and the new Covid19 reality presents a challenge that the government alone cannot handle.
This crisis is an opportunity for all Zimbabweans to cast aside their political and ideological differences and work on making sure that the old vulnerable in our society are protected. It is a chance for us to heal our wounds of division and unite against a common enemy which has the potential to wipe out a whole nation if unity does not prevail.
The gravity of the situation requires drastic interventions. These are extraordinary times and the leadership of the country, with the support of the masses has to craft the best response to the pandemic.
The Zimbabweans for Health Forum (ZHF), has constructed a petition and made recommendations for the government to consider. The recommendations are as follows:
1. Institute nationwide shut down immediately.
2. State and Military to coordinate all food logistics and purchase all food supplies and ensure that people are able to obtain a basic basket of food.
3. No domestic travel.
4. All healthcare facilities both public and private should come under state control with immediate effect.
5. No visitors allowed for hospitalized patients.
6. Hospitalize those that cannot self-isolate due to crowded living space.
7. Develop a public health corps and rapidly deploy them for contact tracing and isolation.
8. Commandeer factories that can be rapidly adjusted or retrofitted to work on producing adequate PPE to meet national demand.
9. Rapidly increase ability to conduct testing.
10. Establish a rapid approval process for a drug or a vaccine should one become available.
11. There is no effective treatment however consider stockpiling chloroquine.
