Econet’s Strive Masiyiwa has donated 45 full Intensive Care
Unit (ICU) ventilator suites to be distributed to Zimbabwe’s public hospitals.
The country has been facing a severe shortage of
ventilators which are key in managing patients with Covid-19.
Zimbabwe is not the only country which has been struggling
to secure the life saving equipment which cost from $15,000 up to $100,000
each. Globally countries have raised concerns over lack of these machines which
are critical in patients struggling to breath on their own.
The death of broadcaster Zororo Makamba exposed just how
ill prepared and under resourced the country really was and stakeholders
including Masiyiwa have been making frantic efforts to beef up the country’s
reserves.
The telecommunications mogul has has been also been
involved in an initiative which is focused on lobbying African governments to
mitigate against the impact of the epidemic, which has so far claimed over 64
000 lives and infected 1.2 million others globally.
Speaking on the ventilators Masiyiwa said these were not
something that could just be produced because of the technology and the supply
of parts for it.
There are however some local institutions like the Harare
Institute of Technology (HIT) who have been making efforts to produce the
equipment using available resources and material.
“Since Higher Life Foundation Zimbabwe is run by a medical
doctor, they have been trying to get some of this equipment, which costs from
$15,000 up to $100,000 each,”
The foundation, working with some donor partners then secured
45 full ICU Ventilator suites for distribution to Zimbabwe’s public hospitals. They
will be shipped before the end of the month.
“This is a drop in the bucket, in terms of actual
requirement, so I hope groups like mining companies, bottling groups, banks and
others will follow our example,” said Masiyiwa.
He also called on business leaders and entrepreneurs in
every African country to come together, and set up funds to buy this
life-saving equipment.
“Don’t just wait for governments,” he said. Newsday
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