A doctor in Zimbabwe has told the BBC that he is witnessing people with coronavirus not able to make it to the hospital and instead dying at home.
Dr Norman Matara, who works in the capital Harare, has been speaking to BBC OS on World Service radio.
We are witnessing more cases of people diagnosed with Covid-19 after a post-mortem has been done. So from the number of people who have died, most of them are people who are dying at home.”We are witnessing more cases of people diagnosed with Covid-19 after a post-mortem has been done. So from the number of people who have died, most of them are people who are dying at home.”
He explained why he thinks cases are rising in the country.
People are being forced right now to go outside of their houses to look for money so they can feed their families. They are also being forced to go out and look for clean water. So social distancing is not practical, and that is why we are seeing cases rise."People are being forced right now to go outside of their houses to look for money so they can feed their families. They are also being forced to go out and look for clean water. So social distancing is not practical, and that is why we are seeing cases rise."
Nurses in Zimbabwe have been on strike due to a lack of personal protective equipment and other concerns. Dr Matara said the situation is dire:
The healthcare system is in tatters at the moment... Just last week we witnessed seven babies die out of eight deliveries, because there were no nurses to monitor women giving birth.”The healthcare system is in tatters at the moment... Just last week we witnessed seven babies die out of eight deliveries, because there were no nurses to monitor women giving birth.”
Coronavirus cases in Africa have now passed the one-million mark. South Africa, where testing has been widespread, makes up half of all cases.
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