National

Zimbabwean doctors alarmed by high Covid-19 death rate

Published

4 years ago

August 23, 2021

BY NOKUTHABA DLAMINI

Zimbabwean doctors have expressed concern about the high number of Covid-19 related deaths at a time the country is witnessing a decline in new infections.

Seventeen people were killed by the disease on Sunday when the country reported 199 new infections.

In a joint advisory, the College of Primary Health Care Physicians of Zimbabwe and the Zimbabwe College of Public Health Physicians said the number of deaths were “unacceptably high”.

“Whilst the last few weeks saw a decline in the number of Covid-19 cases, we are concerned that the number of deaths remain unacceptably high, with one in three people dying outside of health

facilities,” the two bodies said,

“These deaths are commonest among the elderly and people living with chronic medical conditions such as diabetes, lung disease, high blood pressure and heart disease.”

Zimbabwe experienced a third wave of the Covid-19 outbreak that began around June, but the cases have been declining significantly in recent weeks.

The third wave, the new Delta variant of the coronavirus, has been more deadly than the previous ones with the country reporting a record number of fatalities.

CPCPZ and ZCPHP said the high death rate could be attributed to the fact that most people were seeking treatment when it was already too late.

“People who develop Covid-19 symptoms that require medical attention are delaying in seeking professional medical care,” the doctors said.

“As a result of late presentation, families end up requiring very expensive treatment and long hospitalisation or lives that could have been saved are being lost.”

The doctors are also worried about the slow pace of Zimbabwe’s Covid-19 vaccination programme.

“With over 15 percent of the targeted population having been fully vaccinated, we are particularly concerned that despite being prioritised, many elderly people and citizens living with chronic medical conditions are still not vaccinated,” they added.

As of Sunday, 2 312 417 people Zimbabweans had received their first dose of the Covid-19 vaccine.

Only 1 460 162 people have been fully vaccinated.

The doctors urged Zimbabweans to ensure that elderly members of their households and those living with chronic illnesses were fully vaccinated.

National

Coal train in flames: NRZ locomotive damaged in fire incident

Published

5 days ago

April 16, 2025

VicFallsLive

BY WANDILE TSHUMA

A National Railways of Zimbabwe (NRZ) locomotive suffered significant damage after catching fire while transporting export coal to Zambi. The incident occurred between Kalala and Matetsi sidings, resulting in the explosion of the locomotive’s fuel tanks.

According to the NRZ press statement on Monday, “A National Railways of Zimbabwe locomotive suffered some damages after it caught fire this afternoon while transporting export coal to Zambia.” Fortunately, the crew members on board managed to escape unharmed.

The NRZ responded swiftly to the incident, dispatching a rescue train with crews to the site. The team successfully extinguished the fire, preventing further damage. However, the locomotive itself sustained considerable damage.

The cause of the fire is yet to be determined, with investigations currently underway. “Investigations are already underway to establish the cause of the fire and the amount of damage to the locomotive,” the NRZ statement read.

National

Ranger killed by elephant in Kariba

Published

1 month ago

March 14, 2025

VicFallsLive

BY NOKUTHABA DLAMINI

A 62-year-old ranger, Josphat Mandishara, was tragically killed by an elephant in Kariba yesterday.

Mandishara, who worked for the Zimbabwe Parks and Wildlife Management Authority (ZimParks), was on patrol in the Gatche-gatche area with fellow rangers and police officers.

At around 10 pm, Mandishara returned to the harbor where their boat was docked, and that’s when he encountered the elephant. The elephant charged at him, causing fatal injuries. His colleagues were nearby, resupplying at the Gatche-gatche Irrigation Scheme.

Mandishara’s body was taken to Kariba District Hospital for a post-mortem, and the incident was reported to the police.

ZimParks has sent a team to manage the problem elephant and prevent similar incidents in the future.

The Director General of ZimParks, Prof. Edson Gandiwa, and his team have sent condolences to Mandishara’s family, friends, and colleagues. Mandishara will be remembered for his dedication to wildlife conservation in Zimbabwe.

National

ZIMRA customs officer appears in court for criminal abuse of office

Published

3 months ago

February 3, 2025

VicFallsLive

BY STAFF REPORTER

A Zimbabwe Revenue Authority (ZIMRA) customs officer, Phillip Kuvenga, has been accused of criminal abuse of office for allegedly assisting in the importation of banned motor vehicles.

Kuvenga, 28, who is stationed at Victoria Falls, allegedly received documents from clients, completed valuation sheets, and carried out the valuation process. However, he is accused of endorsing different chassis numbers to deceive his supervisors during the validation and approval process.

After obtaining approval, Kuvenga would capture the correct chassis numbers in the ASYCUDA World System. He would then alter or replace the documents submitted earlier to his supervisors.

The offense came to light when a motor vehicle that had not yet arrived in Zimbabwe was found to have been already registered. A thorough check by ZIMRA led to Kuvenga’s arrest.

Kuvenga appeared in court on February 1, where he was denied bail by Magistrate Gift Manyka. He is expected to appear in court again today for another bail hearing.