A senior government official said public hospitals are adequately staffed and there are no plans to recruit retired nurses as they are at risk of contracting SARS-CoV-2 due to age and comorbidities.
Acting Secretary in the Ministry of Health and Child Care Gibson Mhlanga revealed that the Ministry recently received more staffers to assist in the fight against the novel coronavirus as more nurses are being rested after testing positive for COVID-19. He said:
We received additional posts of nurses, doctors, Environmental Health Officers, Environmental Health Technicians and field orderlies for the COVID-19 Response who will man our quarantine and isolation facilities.
… Recruiting of nurses is ongoing as posts are opened up from time to time.
More than 32 health personnel at United Bulawayo Hospitals and Mpilo Central in Bulawayo tested positive to coronavirus after they came into contact with infected patients.
267 staff members have been isolated after being exposed to the virus at the two hospitals and they have been placed on self-isolation at their respective homes.