Health and Childcare Minister Dr Obadiah Moyo has dismissed social media claims that government could be suppressing reports of confirmed coronavirus cases saying they have nothing to gain from doing so.
In a wide-ranging interview, the Health Minister who has been under fire from a cross-section of the citizens who allege that the government is hiding positive COVID-19 cases said it is highly unethical, not allowed and not good for the country,” to cover up results.
“That should be the last thing you want to do especially when the whole world is testing positive, there is no need to do that. Why should we hide, we are saying we don’t want people who are positive to come into the country, so if we are hiding, we would not be bothering to do all the checking. We can’t say someone is negative when they are positive, we have to be trustworthy.
“We are an honest government, it will not benefit us to say that someone is negative when they are positive, in actual fact, we will not get support and supplies when the actual thing is to happen, so it’s pointless to say it’s negative when it’s positive.,” Moyo said.
The coronavirus has claimed more than 5000 people while infecting 168 209 people as of 16 March 2020.
Zimbabwe is yet to record a positive case of the COVID-19 but there have been several suspected cases which have all tested negative after tests both in Zimbabwe and South Africa where the World Health Organisation has a regional laboratory.
Moyo said the negative results recorded, thus cannot be false.
“In Zimbabwe right now, we do not have a case of coronavirus and this is based on the testing platform that we have. It cannot be false, the platform has been giving us the correct results because we have sent samples to South Africa, where there is a regional laboratory where they further confirm our testing systems and in the case of the people who came from China, they tested negative in China, in South Africa and Zimbabwe, so there is no lying,” he added.
There is a growing concern over the country’s preparedness especially with the rise in confirmed cases in South Africa which has 61 cases to date.
Fears are high that the country might end up “importing’ cases if proper measures are not taken. However, Moyo said although they are still yet to be satisfied with their preparations, they remain on course to ensure everyone is protected.
“Even though we are at zero cases, we want to start behaving as if we are already affected so people are aware and can prepare themselves. We will continue to pray that COVID-19 will not come to Zimbabwe,” Moyo noted.
