The Ministry of Health says it is revising the COVID-19 testing strategy due to the increase in the numbers, in geographical and community spread of the disease.
Minister of Health Jonas Chanda has explained that the revision in the strategy will be done on the criteria on who qualifies to be tested in the country.
He added that the tests will be done based on who needs it the most, to ensure that they are accorded the necessary health attention.
“I wish to update the public that the ministry is revising the COVID-19 testing strategy, that is, the criteria on who qualifies to be tested in the nation. The revision of the testing strategy has been necessitated by the increase in case numbers, geographical spread, generalized community spread of COVID-19 and the resultant increased laboratory turnaround time. This will result in prioritizing testing for those among us who need it the most, to ensure they are accorded the necessary health attention, “he said.
And Dr Chanda stated that government is aware of the importance of having a healthy nation by ensuring the physical, mental and social well-being of every individual in the country remains an important agenda.
He said this is why government has made it a priority to fight all diseases including COVID-19, which is affecting the country’s population.
Meanwhile, in the last 24 hours the country has recorded 1,308 new cases of COVID-19 out of 12,123 tests done.
Dr Chanda said the cumulative number of cases nationally is now 39,516 with a total of 389 patients admitted to health facilities, 280 on oxygen therapy, with 26 in a critical state and 13 mortalities.
“A total of 739 cases have been discharged from our facility and home-based management bringing the cumulative recoveries are 28,066. Sadly, 13 mortalities were recorded in the healthcare facilities while Six (6) deaths were recorded in the community (BID), Lusaka (5), Kalulushi (1),” he explained.
The Minister noted that 13 deaths recorded in the last 24 hours were classified as 5 COVID-19 deaths, 3 associated death and 5 which were yet to be classified, adding that the cumulative COVID-19 related deaths are now 578 (221 COVID-19 deaths, 339 associated and 18 yet to be classified.
He has since encouraged health care workers and all aligned personnel in the response to remain committed in the fight against the pandemic.
just procure enough testing kits,not ati who qualifies to be tested. You will leave out a lot of positive patients
Is there a reason for the change in testing strategy Hon? How is the quality assurance of the current testing strategy? Do we have enough testing kits? Are we following the recommended testing algorithm?
Thanks Doc but where are we on the issue of police officers who shot dead innocent people, where are we on the investigations were police are supposed to be investigating themselves
Do it, what de fvck are you waiting for?
Its nearly a month and you have do nothing.
Hope that dimwit doctor Chilufyanya Chitalu damage to the health ministry can be limited. Conferring with donors here, are sceptical with Zambia’s healthy management reddened with corruption is undeniable by any standards.
So now having a Covid test is going to be a privilege not meant for everyone…. basically we are running out of test kits.
How does the fast testing helps when it take 14 days to get the results ? Done a fast test in Lusaka, i had fever 39,8 and felt really bad, i have lost my taste, and i can´t smell anything, but they just told me to go back home and isolate myself, that is not so easy, my wife and our 4 kids. When i read newspapers from Europe, do they do fast testing and they get a result in 15-30 min. So why call it a fast test, when the result first comes after 14 days.
I had a test here at chingola north hosspital and i was told the results would come back from ndola after 2 weeks, now if it comes backpositive . How many people would get it ?
The new testing kits are quick and we want more of that so that people continue getting results instantly
We appreciate every effort the government is making to ensure people are protected
Still no clear direction on covid.
Maybe they want Zambia to have a covid variant too.
Continue bringing the Ministry back to it’s glory
With what I saw on ZNBC news from Mpulungu and the entire news, we are very very very far away from fighting against Covid. Politicians are the biggest problem. It’s a total opposite of the adverts they run. Its share worst of time listening to what they say.
Has His Excellency President General Dr Edigaa Chagwa Lungu, Commander in tChief of hArmed Forces of the Republic of chZambia, father of We are finished been tested?
You Have Evidence On Leaking Condoms Start By Giving Us Some Leads
It’s the entire Ministry, actually. We will organise the Executive on August 12. The incoming will have a probation of five years. We Zambians have it all planned.
There’s nothing new that we can do that the ‘bazungus’ haven’t done to fight this covid-19. The disease has just refused to go away.