Limpopo Provicial Government goes out to seek COVID-19 cases

By: Emmaculate Cindi

Limpopo is one of the least COVID-19 affected provinces in the country with 24 confirmed cases as of 14 April 2020. Eleven of those cases are found in Lephalale.

With five mobile laboratories vehicles allocated to the province by the National Department of Health, Premier Mathabatha officially launched a province wide programme of screening and testing in Marapong Community Health Care Centre on the 14^th of April 2020. Volunteers and Health Professionals will be going out to communities to screen and test those who display signs of Covid 19 infection.

As a demonstration of a commitment to the eradication of this pandemic, the donated equipped mobile units by National Department will be used in deep rural areas where access to health care facilities is a challenge.

According to Dr Phophi Ramathuba, the MEC for Health, the province is targeting 900 000 households in two weeks. Screening and testing will be performed by 10 000 HIV/AIDS, STI , TB (HAST)  and 350 professional nurses across  the entire province by  visiting shopping complexes and taxi ranks. This process will eradicate a potential hazard that would have otherwise been created by long queues with no recognition of social distancing at clinics.

Anyone found to be a suspect will not be allowed to go to the clinic, a mobile laboratory vehicle will be sent to take the specimen to avoid any further contact with other members of the communities.

The Premier encouraged all frontliners to serve the community by working hard.  “This mission is fuelled by a determination to win; it has to be done with morale and discipline. We cannot afford to lose this war, losing it means graves will have to be dug. We have all the forces and equipment, we have to win the war.”

While the team was on the ground screening, Mr Tshampe a TB patient was delighted that the screening and testing service was brought to his home.

“I am happy that the government brought the nurses here to test me, I am struggling with fever and this testing will help us to know if I have contracted the virus, so that I can get treatment and not further infect my family. I am also gratefully for the food parcel donated to me and my family in this difficult times of lockdown.”

Those that will test positive will be taken to the Health facilities identified in the province to recover before being sent back to their communities.