President Mnangagwa yesterday expressed concern over
increases almost daily in Covid-19 confirmed cases, a development which makes
it crucial for the corporate world to continue assisting Government in all ways
possible to fight the pandemic.
The President said this while launching the Ministry of
Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services’ Call and Data Centre that was
sponsored by Innscor Africa and Liquid Telecom.
The call centre, which is located in Newlands, Harare, is a
helpline that can be accessed by all Zimbabweans to get information relating to
Covid-19 and any other factual Government information.
“It (Covid-19) has just begun to attack Zimbabwe and the
spike is beginning to show an upward trend in our country. Yes, we introduced a
lockdown some two weeks ago but we are realising now that the pandemic is now
more serious than at the time we introduced the lockdown,” he said.
President Mnangagwa applauded Innscor Africa and Liquid
Telecom for heeding Government calls to come forward and support the fight
against Covid-19.
Said the President: “You are not only serving Government
but your brothers and sisters, mother, your father, your uncle and niece is
being assisted. I wish that many other entities countrywide in the private
sector, in the public sector are able to do anything small or big to contribute
towards the fight against this pandemic. I am happy that many people across
this country are coming forward with resources to assist us and support our
frontline soldiers – the doctors and the nurses.”
As a result of the call and data centre, President
Mnangagwa said all Zimbabweans could now call on the helpline 2023 and seek
assistance.
He said on that helpline, people could access information
that all countries are receiving as guided by the World Health Organisation.
“As I launch this, it is at an early stage but I believe as
we move on, the more we speak about it on television, on radio and in
newspapers, I believe that more and more of our people will get to know about
this facility and possibly in future there may be need for you to expand the
facility here,” said the President.
Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services Minister
Monica Mutsvangwa said the helpline would provide a free and easy platform for
citizens to get factual answers to questions they might have, not just related
to Covid-19, but any other issue that impacts their lives especially under this
lockdown.
“They will be timeously informed of the interventions that
are being made by Government. Information is now a free phone call away. Any
Zimbabwean from the four corners of our 10 provinces can access it. It will
also provide a quick, fast check platform . This is actually a good platform
where citizens can easily check whether information they have heard is factual
or fake. This centre will decongest the clinical Ministry of Health and Child
Care health care centre helpline by providing an alternative platform for
non-clinical inquiries.”
Meanwhile, Innscor Africa Limited and Liquid Telecom later
handed over 30 tonnes of roller meal to President Mnangagwa at State House to
be distributed to frontline health workers after the launch of the call and
data centre. The handover ceremony was witnessed by Vice President Constantino
Chiwenga.
Innscor Africa chief executive officer Mr Julian Schonken
handed over the maize meal to President Mnangagwa.
“This is one of the gestures we have made to assist our
frontline staff because we know they are working very hard every day,” Mr
Schonken said.
Receiving the maize meal donation, President Mnangagwa
said: “On behalf of Government and my own behalf I would like to thank Innscor
Africa and Liquid Telecom who have contributed a lot in our endeavour to fight
the Covid-19 pandemic.They have given us 30 tonnes of roller meal to give to
our frontline workers and it means 3 000 of them will get a packet each.”
The maize meal will be distributed through the
inter-ministerial taskforce chaired by Vice President Kembo Mohadi. Herald
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