PRESIDENT Emmerson Mnangagwa has established an eleven-member inter-ministerial task force chaired by the Minister of Health and Child Care, Dr Obadiah Moyo to monitor the situation and manage the response to the Covid-19 outbreak and identify any gaps for corrective action.
Dr Moyo is deputized by the Minister of Local Government and Public Works, July Moyo as the task force works in identifying any gaps for corrective action.
In a statement issued by the Chief Secretary to the President and Cabinet, Dr Misheck Sibanda, the taskforce will raise the general awareness of the public on the pandemic and mobilise resources to adequately respond to the outbreak among other duties.
Other members are, “Minister of Defence and War Veterans Affairs, Oppah Muchinguri Kashiri, Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Trade, Sibusiso Moyo, Minister of Home Affairs and Cultural Heritage, Kazembe Kazembe, Minister of Transport and Infrastructural Development, Joel Biggie Matiza, Minister of Primary and Secondary Education, Cain Mathema, Minister of Environment, Climate, Tourism and Hospitality Industry, Mangaliso Ndlovu, Minister of Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services, Senator Monica Mutsvangwa, Minister of Finance and Economic Development, Professor Mthuli Ncube, and Minister of Higher and Tertiary Education, Innovation, Science and Technology Development, Professor Amon Murwira,” said Dr Sibanda in the statement.
“The taskforce’s mandate is to raise the general awareness of the public on the pandemic, to mobilize domestic and international financial resources to adequately respond to the outbreak. To engage private sector associations that include, captains of industry and business, religious leaders, local authorities, traditional leaders and Zimbabweans in the diaspora for support in the implementation of identified initiatives, to rally all stakeholders towards the successful fight of the pandemic,” he said.
“These stakeholders include among others, Zimbabwe Medical Association (ZIMA), its affiliates and all stakeholders in the medical and health field. The taskforce will regularly update His Excellency the President, Cabinet and the nation on the country’s state of preparedness and response to the Covid-19 outbreak.
“As chairman of the taskforce, hon Obadiah Moyo is required to make use of the Civil Protection Unit(CPU) which has the requisite geographical spread and representation for maximum, effective, collective response and action as displayed in the management of the Cyclone Idai disaster.”
Zimbabwe has so far recorded two positive cases of Covid-19, one of which succumbed to the virus while the other is recuperating.
