by Christopher Makaza
The Ministry of health and Child Care in partnership with the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) Zimbabwe, yesterday conducted Training of the Trainer (ToT) workshop on COVID-19 Integrated Case Management and Infection Prevention Control (IPC) in Domboshava.
Stakeholders who included health workers, uniformed forces and private sector players participated during the training programme, as the Government continues to search for lasting solutions in the fight against the deadly pandemic.
Posting on its Twitter handle @MoHCCZim, the Ministry of Health and Child Care said the trained participants will in turn train other health personnel at their workplaces.
"After the ToT, participants will cascade trainings to other health personnel at their respective institutions as well as enhance institutional plans and Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) for COVID-19 case management and IPC," said the ministry.
Speaking during the training programme, Acting Director Nursing Services in the Ministry, who is also Chairperson of the COVID-19 IPC pillar, Dr Lilian Getrude Dodzo revealed that the Domboshava training was the second one to be held, after the first one was successfully held in Marondera.
‘This is the second workshop, the first one was held in Marondera, Mashonaland East province where we trained the first group of IPC, and Case Management Trainers. We have started the integration trainings because in the past, IPC was having its own trainings so we have had complains from the provinces where most of the health workers were saying they were spending most of their time in trainings, so we decided to integrate the two pillars,’’ said Dr Dodzo.
‘The objective of the trainings is to make sure that we strengthen the knowledge and skills in screening and management of COVID-19 cases. We also want to strengthen the training skills of the IPC focal persons as well as the case management trainers so that they are all able to cascade the trainings to all districts across the country,’ she added.
Dr Dodzo highlighted that those who have been trained will be asked to come up with training plans and identify gaps so that future training will focus on that.
As at 18 August 2020, Zimbabwe had 5378 confirmed cases, including 4105 recoveries and 141 deaths.
Meanwhile, Government has assured members of the public that measures are being put in place to ensure that health workers return to work, as the success of implementing the COVID-19 response hinges on the availability of health staff. The Government also said that the acquisition of Protective Personnel Equipment (PPE) for health workers and front liners was being prioritised.
