Starting December, Zimbabwe opened land borders to the public. The process was marred by
reports of the use of fake COVID-19 certificates. As the festive season approached, the main
border between Zimbabwe and South Africa, Beitbridge, was congested and people spent
days waiting to cross. Five people reportedly died in separate incidents due to unclear
circumstances as they waited to cross the border.
The mass movement across the borders for the festive season appeared to have triggered a
spike in COVID-19 cases amid reports there was widespread corruption at the ports of entry,
and some used fake letters or simply paid immigration officials for entry into the country.
This was made worse by the non-existence of a clear policy on COVID-19 certification
standards.
On December 31, Information Secretary Nick Mangwana tweeted that Zimbabwe’s public
COVID-19 centres were overwhelmed as cases continued to rise.
With the private facilities charging up to US$2500 for a ventilator, and the cases of COVID-19
continuing to take an upward spiral, the poor have been left on their own, unable to access
not just COVID-19 services, but general health facilities. Lived realities by citizens have shown
that sick individuals are struggling to get admitted in hospital or access ventilators due to the
increase in numbers. This exposes government’s ill preparedness to fully fight the virus and
ensure citizens who contract the virus access medical care.
ZPP continues to urge government to prioritise the health sector and decentralize the
management of COVID-19 as well as to ensure that health facilities are adequately equipped
to deal with all health needs.
In the November COVID-19 Accountability tracker, there was a positive High Court of
Zimbabwe order that inmates of Chikurubi Maximum prison must get a daily supply of 60
liters of water per inmate. The order was granted to ensure the measures are enforced, as per
an urgent chamber application was filed by serving prisoner Taurai Dodzo and Zimbabwe
Human Rights NGO Forum concerned about water shortages and diarrhea outbreak in the
prison.
ZPP continued monitoring the situation and is concerned to report that there is no adherence
to this court order and inmates still suffer from lack of access to water.
In addition, inmates are still crowded in cells, risking their health as COVID-19 cases spike.
ZPP implores government and the Zimbabwe Prisons and Correctional Services to implement
the High Court ruling and to ensure that inmates are not crowded in cells and to improve the
living conditions of inmates.
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