Minister of Health has called on Employers in the country to protect their workforce from Covid-19 by ensuring that employees discharge their duties within the public health guidelines that have been provided.
Speaking during the latest Covid-19 update, Dr. Chitalu Chilufya disclosed that as the pandemic evolves in the country, the number of work places with employees that are testing positive for Covid-19 has increased.
Dr. Chilufya said this demonstrates the risk that employees are exposed to as they discharge their duties, adding that if the situation is not adequately addressed, it can have long term effects on the economy.
“A significant proportion of our institutions in both public and the private sector now has at least one positive employee or one employee that has tested positive. This demonstrates the risk that employees are exposed to as they discharge their duties.”
“The temporal closure of these facilities for disinfection further exacerbates the impact on these work places have continued to contribute to the contraction of the economy. President Edgar Lungu continues to emphasize the need to save lives, livelihoods and protect the economy,” Dr. Chilufya said.
He however said a delicate balance will only be attained if employers recognize the essential services and ensure that as they provide essential services, employees discharging such services in the work place are doing that within the public health guidelines that have been provided to avoid closure.
Dr. Chilufya added that it is time to heed the call to work virtually and to distinguish the essential services that will continue to drive service delivery in the country while ensuring that reinfection at work places is stopped.
He urged both employers and employees to maximize the use of virtual platforms, and see to it that non-essential workers operate from home.
“The clarion call to all the employers let us protect our workforce, non-essential workers must work from home as much as possible. Let’s maximize the use of virtual platforms for engaging with employers and fellow employees.”
“Working from home can still facilitate delivery of services if you use new platforms and visits to work places must not be allowed unless where it is necessary.”
Meanwhile, Zambia’s Covid-19 death toll has increased to 269 after the country recorded 5 fatalities in the last 24 hours.
Health Minister Dr. Chitalu Chilufya has disclosed that among the 5 deaths, 2 are facility based, while 3 are brought in dead (BID) cases recorded in Ndola, Luanshya and Chililabombwe.
Dr. Chilufya has also revealed that the country has recorded 237 new Covid-19 cases, bringing the total number of cases to 10,218 of with 9,126 recoveries.
“Today Zambia recorded 237 new cases out of 845 tests done, bringing the total number of cases to over 10, 00 therefore standing at 10, 218 and we continue to see cases in different parts of the country.”
“Currently, we have 67 patients admitted to Levy Mwanawasa isolation center, 9 are in critical condition and 2 are on assisted ventilation. We unfortunately recorded 2 facility deaths from Levy Mwanawasa Hospital and we recorded 3 BIDs, 1 Ndola, 1 in Luanshya and 1 Chililabombwe. The cumulative number of deaths now stands at 269,” he disclosed.