21-day quarantine for Ebola suspects

via 21-day quarantine for Ebola suspects | The Herald 29 August 2014 by Zvamaida Murwira

People who travel to Zimbabwe from countries that have been affected by the Ebola virus will be quarantined for 21 days, while prophets who claim to cure HIV and Aids, diabetes and cancer risk being arrested for urging patients to stop taking medication, the Senate heard yesterday.

Health and Child Care Minister Dr David Parirenyatwa said one measure to prevent Zimbabwe from being affected by the deadly Ebola disease was to isolate people coming from such areas, including Zimbabweans, to allow for adequate monitoring and to determine whether or not they had symptoms.

Dr Parirenyatwa said this while responding to a question from Mashonaland East chief Musarurwa who sought to know what Government was doing to contain the disease.

“We implore our people to stop travelling to those countries, we know Zimbabweans love travelling a lot.

“Those who come from those countries we are going to separate them and screen them for some time because Ebola’s incubation period is 21 days,” said Minister Parirenyatwa.

Minister Parirenyatwa said Government was concerned with reports that some prophets were claiming that they could cure HIV and AIDS, Diabetes and cancer.

He warned people suffering from these ailments against discontinuing their medication.

Mashonaland Central Senator Alice Chimbudzi (Zanu-PF) wanted to know what Government was doing with those prophets who made such “dangerous” claims.

“It is bad that prophets and other church leaders claim that they can treat HIV/AIDS with their water. The virus cannot be removed by water but should be treated although it cannot be cured. I will talk with Minister of Home Affairs (Kembo) Mohadi to arrest those people,” said Minister Parirenyatwa.

“People should continue taking their tablets while they are receiving prayers.”

On another matter, Justice, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Emmerson Mnangagwa, said the President Mugabe would not come to Parliament to field questions as Cabinet Ministers taking them were adequately prepared to represent the Head of State and Government.

Minister Mnangagwa was responding to a question from Bulawayo Metropolitan Senator Agnes Sibanda (MDC-T) who wanted to know if there was no legal requirement for the President to periodically come and respond to questions.

Minister Mnangagwa said they had removed that policy, which used to be there and the President would only come to officially open Parliament and make a state of the nation address as and when he deems it necessary.

“Munoda kuti President vauye muno vazobvumburudzwa nemaMP. If you are anxious to do that you should grill us here Ministers, we will adequately respond,” said Minister Mnangagwa.

Meanwhile, Senate President, Cde Edna Madzongwe, yesterday commended Cabinet Ministers and their deputies for attending yesterday’s question and answer session.

Three weeks ago Cde Madzongwe and Speaker of the National Assembly, Cde Jacob Mudenda, warned Cabinet Ministers to attend parliament to field questions saying if they failed they risked being charged for contempt of Parliament.

“I still want to appeal to the Ministers to respond to motions because some of them are related to issues in their ministries,” said Cde Madzongwe.