Govt avails medical import, welfare funding

Harare(New Ziana) – The government has said it will avail US$2 million for urgent health related imports meant to combat COVID-19.

In a statement, Finance and Economic Development Minister Mthuli Ncube said priority had been given to mobilizing and ring fencing foreign currency required for additional medical imports for the short to medium term.

“Treasury is therefore working closely with the central bank in mobilizing the requisite resources from all possible sources,” he said.

Resources earmarked for mitigating the Covid-19 pandemic are being ring fenced to ensure equipment and medicines were available in hospitals and other health facilities.

“Treasury has directed the utilisation of the existing National Disasters Accounts to serve the purposes of the crises,” Ncube said.

Treasury has also agreed to the unfreezing of over 4 000 health sector posts and creation of an additional 200 medical posts with a view to scaling up the national response to Covid-19.

It has also availed significant funding for social welfare support for one million people in urban areas, mostly informal workers, whose business activities have been affected by the 21-day Covid-19 lockdown.

“Accordingly, Treasury has set aside resources to cover one million vulnerable households under a cash transfer programme and payment will commence immediately,” Ncube said.

“Treasury will be initially availing an amount of ZWL$200 million per month under a cash transfer program over the next three months and both the amount and duration of payments will be reviewed as necessary,” he said.

The Department of Social Welfare will run the programme, in which development partners are also expected to chip in.

New Ziana