ZUNO Urges Government to Ensure Nurses and Midwives Wellbeing is Supported and Protected as the Country Records First Cases of COVID 19

The Zambia Union of Nurses Organisation (ZUNO) General Secretary Mr. Fray Michelo has urged Government through the Ministry of Health to ensure that all nurses and midwives are adequately prepared to handle patients with COVID 19, as members of the health team.

Mr. Michelo said that as the country prepares to support people who may be affected by the virus, there is also strong need to support and protect the staff caring for them.

 “We would not want to witness what has happened in some countries where nurses are over-stressed and their physical and psychological wellbeing compromised”, he said

He added the Ministry of Health should ensure that there is availability of personal protective equipment for nurses and midwives that will be working in close contact with infected patients. 

Mr. Michelo noted with sadness that the country has recorded its first two confirmed cases of COVID 19, but remains positive that the country will manage, considering the fact that Government has employed a multi-sectoral approach to handling the novel infection believed to be caused by the coronavirus.

He was further pleased that Government has announced that it will also be intensifying screening, restricting public gatherings and employing the social distancing strategy, as  a way of curbing easy spread of the communicable diseases.

He however expressed concern about the country’s boarders that remain open. “Although restriction has been imposed on all foreign travel, we feel it would be best to keep the infection at bay as much as possible by closing borders with countries that considered high risk” he added.