President Mnangagwa has expressed gratitude to Zimbabweans and those in the Diaspora for collaborating in the fight against the Covid-19 pandemic, which has seen the country being ranked among countries that instituted better mitigatory measures against the deadly disease.
Zimbabwe has been ranked number 102 by the World Health
Organisation (WHO). The rankings were crafted in such a manner that countries
in the single digit category did not do well in fighting the pandemic while
those with double digits did better and those with three digits did well.
Countries that recorded the most deaths and infections such
as the United States, Britain and Italy, are in the single digit category.
Addressing corporates and organisations from Bulawayo who
had come to present Covid-19 donations towards the operationalisation of
Ekusileni Hospital in Bulawayo at State House yesterday, President Mnangagwa
said although the country’s health sector was facing challenges, Government and
the people were more conscious and took mitigatory measures more than other
countries.
The function was attended by Vice Presidents Constantino
Chiwenga and Kembo Mohadi, and Defence and War Veterans Affairs Minister, Oppah
Muchinguri-Kashiri, who is the Covid-19 National Taskforce chairperson, among
other top Government officials.
The companies and organisations under the banner, “Iam4Byo-Fighting
Covid-19”, donated various goods.
The National Social Security Authority (NSSA) donated $50
million, United Refineries Limited donated laundry equipment while the
Ecumenical Leaders Forum donated 48 beds.
Gold producer How Mine donated a fully equipped borehole,
with USA diaspora donating 16 intensive care unit (ICU) beds, Edgars Stores
chipped in with 400 sets of linen, the Hindu Society donated 100 mattresses and
pillows, and Treger Group came in with fitted kitchens.
CBZ also donated $1 million, the National University of
Science and Technology (NUST) donated ICU and high dependency beds (HDU) while
BOC Gases cancelled the hospital’s previous debt and further donated an oxygen
tank for piped oxygen.
President Mnangagwa said WHO had ranked countries according
to how they were faring with regards to the impact and mitigation of the
pandemic.
“Those with single digits didn’t do well. Those with double
digits were better than those with single digits but Zimbabwe goes to the three
digits. We are number 102,” he said. He said the US was on number 1, Brazil 2,
Russia 3, India 4, Britain 5 and South Africa 7.
“When you look at the capacity of these individual
countries’ economies, one would think they have more muscle and both capacity
and capability to deal with the pandemic far much more than us who have weak
economies.
“Because of the realisation that we do not have a solid
health infrastructure system in place, we become more conscious than those who
have,” he said.
President Mnangagwa said Government had prioritised serving
lives even if it meant negative impact on the economy. “Post Covid-19 pandemic
we can still sit around the table as we are and discuss how to resuscitate our
economy and how to grow our economy. Since time immemorial before Christ, even
before the Roman empire, we have never had a conference where people discuss on
how to raise the dead.
“So we will not be an exception. We need to take measures
to preserve lives. But we need to identify that which is critically important
and correct and quite another to be able to carry the nation with that vision.
We as Government feel extremely proud that our people: individually, as groups,
communities, companies, churches, organisations and as societies, have moved
and responded to this appeal to show compassion and make contributions to fight
and mitigate the impact of this pandemic,” said the President.
President Mnangagwa appreciated those in the Diaspora for
making significant contributions although most of them were ordinary workers.
He said while it has taken long, Ekusileni now boasts of
top quality equipment donated by the companies.
“It is because the population is facing a pandemic and we
have come together to fight it and Ekusileni is one of the instruments or the
tool which we are going to use to fight this pandemic. I am happy that Minister
(of Bulawayo Metropolitan Province Judith) Ncube was instrumental in
galvanising and being pivotal to the groups in Bulawayo coming together and
sharing the challenges you are facing.
“That is what it should be and I am happy for that,” he
said. Minister Ncube said the collaboration among various stakeholders, had
yielded positive outcomes as they had donated towards the operationalisation of
Ekusileni Hospital under phase one.
“I express appreciation and gratitude to President
(Mnangagwa). The process of operationalisation of Ekusileni Hospital would not
have reached this far without your guidance and leadership,” she said.
NSSA chairman, Mr Cuthbert Chidoori, said the hospital
needed further investments in various areas to make it fully functional.
“It is for this reason that NSSA has joined hands with
Government and other organisations such as ‘I am 4 Bulawayo Covid-19’ in
fighting against the Covid-19 pandemic. We shall strive to complement efforts
in ensuring Zimbabwe is on the road towards prosperity,” he said.
URL representative and chairman of the “I am 4 Bulawayo”
Trust, Mr Busisa Moyo said: “We got together initially as business in Bulawayo
to mobilise resources to see where we could assist. We created a vehicle,
Trust, and we coordinate the donations and highlight the needs and communicate
to colleagues in the private sector Now made up of churches, Hindu Society,
doctors, among others,” he said.
Bishop Ambrose Moyo of Ecumenical Leaders’ Forum said: “As
churches, building peace, bridges between people and nations, individuals and
communities, is our core business. We felt let’s contribute because it’s an
opportunity given to us as a church by the President to contribute towards this
noble cause.” Herald
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