03/03/2021
The article below was published in March 3, 2021 Edition of Times of Zambia 👇👇
'Operation 100' aims at COVID-19
By BRIAN HATYOKA
LABOUR productivity has continued to be an important aspect of any economy around the world.
However over the past decade, the global economy has been buffeted by a series of shocks that undermined productivity growth and coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic is the latest.
The pandemic is expected to leave lasting scars through lower investments, diminishing of human capital and a possible retreat from global trade and supply linkages, among others.
These effects may lower labour productivity and limit the ability of economies to generate growth of real incomes in the long run.
Already, more than two million people have died globally from the COVID-19 since December 2019 when the pandemic hit China.
In Zambia, more than 1, 000 people from different backgrounds have died from the COVID-19 pandemic.
According to the Zambia National Public Health Institute (ZNPHI), the country’s positivity rate is currently between 10 and 15 per cent.
This prevailing scenario has unsettled the labour movement and it’s affiliates in the country.
Thus the affiliates of all the three labour movement namely Zambia Congress of Trade Unions (ZCTU, Federation of Free Trade Unions (FFTUZ) and Confederation of Trade Unions of Zambia (COTUZ) agreed to work together to supplement Government efforts in fighting the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Unions have gone an extra mile from the usual lobbying for increased salaries and improved conditions of service to supplementing Government efforts in reducing the COVID-19 positive cases.
They set up “Operation 100’ COVID-19 Taskforce” to mitigate the pandemic within the said number of days. The Taskforce is expected to acquire disinfectants, sprayers, Personal Protective Equipment (PPEs), fuel and other logistics at a cost of K3, 968, 200 for it to achieve this task.
The Taskforce has a multi- sectoral / dimensional approach in supplementing both human and financial resources in conjunction with the Ministry of Health which is a custodian of health matters.
Specific objectives of the Taskforce are to set-up and build capacity among Health and safety (SHE) committees in all schools, markets, shopping malls, correctional services and bus terminus.
This is in pursuant to the Occupational Health and Safety Act of 2010, Part III, Section 11 which stipulates that there should be a health and safety committee in every place where there are more than 10 people.
The Taskforce would enhance COVID-19 sensitisation and awareness campaigns as well as enhance a multi-sectoral approach towards the fight against COVID-19 and assess the impact of the current COVID-19 hazard control measures.
Its intention is to control the spread of the pandemic in partnership with strategic partners namely Cabinet Office, Disaster Management and Mitigation Unit (DMMU), Drug Enforcement Commission (DEC), Human Rights Commission (HRC), and Market Associations.
Others are Ministry of Agriculture, Ministry of Chiefs and traditional Affairs, Ministry of Defense, Ministry of General Education, Ministry of Health, Ministry of Higher Education, Ministry of Home Affairs, Ministry of Information and Broadcasting Services, Ministry of Labour, Ministry of Local Government, Ministry of Tourism and Arts, Ministry of Transport and Communication, Road Transport and Safety Agency (RTSA), Zambia National Public Health Institute (ZNPHI) and Business Enterprises.
The target areas are the provincial headquarters, big cities and border areas which are believed to be the hot spots for COVID-19 spread due to economic activities.
In these areas the target places are Schools, Bus terminus, correctional centers, markets, shopping malls and hospitals.
The activities will include daily fumigation, sanitising, enforce face masking, hand washing among others.
The campaign, which was launched by Permanent Secretary for Public Service Management Division Boniface Chimbwali on January 26, 2021, is expected to bring about strict adherence or compliance to preventive guidelines during the said number of days.
It is also expected to bring about a mindset or behavioral Change in the public as well as significant reduction in the COVID positivity rate.
During the launch, Mr. Chimbwali said Government appreciates the partnership that exists with stakeholders in the fight against COVID-19 and commended the labour Movement for the OPERATION 100’ initiative.
He encouraged the public to play a role by observing the COVID-19 health regulations of wearing a face mask, practicing social distancing, washing or sanitizing of hands and minimizing unnecessary movements among others.
Operation 100’ COVID-19 Taskforce Chairperson Inambao Sitwala says the campaign was trying to protect the economy from falling by assisting to reduce the COVID-19 positivity rate.
Mr. Sitwala, who is also Biomedical Union of Zambia – Founding General Secretary, noted that work productivity in the country has dropped from the time the pandemic hit Zambia earlier last year due to loss of working hours created by shift work and working from home.
He says the labour movement had lost many workers to COVID-19 and hence it could not remain detached from the scary reality.
Mr. Sitwala says the Taskforce would train health and safety committees to keep the economy running and reduce the spread of the pandemic.
So far, the Taskforce has trained 260 teachers who have also formed health and safety committees in Lusaka Province.
“We don’t expect non-adherence of COVID guidelines in schools and this is why we have formed safety committees in all 10 zones in Lusaka. We are now moving to other COVID-19 epicenters. Our work is targeting COVID epicenters namely Livingstone, Lusaka and Ndola. When we have enough finances, we will spread out this campaign to other districts,” he said.
Mr. Sitwala says the labour movement does not support lockdowns or a state of emergency as doing so could bring misery to citizens.
He appealed to the business community and other stakeholders to assist the Taskforce with finances and other logistics.
Mr. Sitwala says the initiative, which expires on April 26 this year, would also sensitize commuters from Livingstone to Chingola along the line of rail.
The Taskforce, working with Traffic Police and RTSA among other partners, would mount robust checkpoints.
“At every checkpoint, passengers will disembark, temperature checked, check face masking adherence, vehicle disinfection and sanitizing commuters. We will target commuters for two weeks consistently. If someone is found with high fever, we will isolate that person for further investigation,” Mr. Sitwala said.
After the expiry of 100 days, the labour movement will evaluate its interventions in a quest to seek the way forward.
“If it will be necessary to extend the campaign, we will do so. There is a likelihood that we will continue after 100 days because the labour movement is heavily affected by the pandemic in terms of human resource,” Mr Sitwala said.
The Taskforce has also engaged both traditional and social media platforms to sensitize the public on the pandemic.
ZNPHI Director of Communication, Information and Research Mazyanga Liwewe, who recently hosted a media briefing with Mr. Sitwala, says the COVID-19 positivity rate was still high in the country.
According to Ms. Liwewe, the country had about 15 per cent positivity and therefore every individual and community should play a role to fight the pandemic.
she bemoaned the continued poor adherence to COVID-19 preventive guidelines by citizens in public places.
“Behavior change is not a one day event and so we should not relent in disseminating information on the pandemic,” she said.
Ms. Liwewe says the media, ZNPHI and other stakeholders were doing a commendable job to sensitize the public on the pandemic.
National Union of Public and Private Educators of Zambia Deputy National Secretary – Finance Aggrey Chisanga thanked strategic partners for support the ‘Operation 100’ initiative.
According to Mr. Chisanga, Government alone could not effectively manage to fight the deadly disease.
“This disease is in our midst and a lot of people have already died hence the labor movement is appeal to all citizens and organizations to assist Government in fighting the pandemic,” Mr Chisanga said.
It is hoped that such joint efforts will enhance adherence to COVID-19 guidelines as well as promote mindset or behavioral change and reduce the positivity rate.
