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Govt urged to establish military-style field hsopitals to fight COVID-19

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BUSINESSMAN Strive Masiyiwa has suggested that military-style field hospitals must be established in empty buildings where there is sufficient water in Africa in order to effectively combat the COVID-19 pandemic.

BUSINESSMAN Strive Masiyiwa has suggested that military-style field hospitals must be established in empty buildings where there is sufficient water in Africa in order to effectively combat the COVID-19 pandemic.

BY VENERANDA LANGA

“Let us prepare military-style field hospitals in all available halls, and empty buildings where there are sufficient facilities for water.

“During the Ebola campaign, I worked closely with African military Corps, and I was impressed. They should be out there, right now, building and preparing,” he said.

Masiyiwa said it is also imperative to prepare a minimum 25% of all existing hospital beds to take critically ill coronavirus patients.

Furthermore, Masiyiwa lauded China’s friendship with Zimbabwe and other African countries saying that there is need to reach out to the Chinese to provide assistance to combat the virus, which has caused havoc around the world, especially in Europe.

“Turn to China. Our Chinese friends (and they are our friends, don’t let anyone fool you otherwise – China is our friend), they have the capacity and the reach to help us in this situation.

“We need things like test equipment, ventilators, beds, and even field hospitals and clinics. They also have the technical and clinical expertise. Let’s appeal to them in a coordinated way.”

Masiyiwa said home based care will also save 99% of lives if done properly, as specialist services in Africa were way too small, that is, if they existed at all.