Harare,((New Ziana) – President Emmerson Mnangagwa said on Thursday the battle against the COVID-19 pandemic remains a huge challenge in the wake of the “worrisome” increase in the number of new confirmed cases.
He was speaking while receiving millions worth of assorted goods to assist in the battle against the pandemic.
Zimbabwe recorded its first case of Covid-19 at the end of March, after which the government declared a nationwide lockdown to try and contain the further spread of the virus.
Despite the lockdown, the number of cases has continued to rise, standing at 320 as at June 10, with Zimbabwean citizens returning from other countries, mainly South African and the United Kingdom, accounting for the bulk of the infections.
Zimbabwe in April launched an international appeal for assistance in fighting the coronavirus, with the government continuing to receive support from development partners, friendly countries as well as local companies.
China, which has been one of the leading donors, on Thursday led other embassies including the United Arab Emirates, local companies, Stanbic Zimbabwe and British American Tobacco Zimbabwe, Apostolic Faith Mission, among others in donating millions worth of an assortment of personal protective equipment for frontline health personnel, ventilators, medical equipment and basic commodities.
“This support and collaboration continues to have a tremendous impact on Zimbabwe’s efforts to fight the pandemic and ensures that all our frontline workers have adequate protection in the course of their duties,” President Mnangagwa said.
“The battle against the pandemic remains a huge challenge in the wake of the worrisome increase in the number of positive cases mainly caused by returning residents,” he added.
He said the support by Beijing was a “clear demonstration of the comprehensive strategic relationship between the two countries.
President Mnangagwa said all the assistance the government received would be accounted for.
He said the support would also allow the government to focus part of its efforts on socio-economic recovery.
Chinese ambassador to Zimbabwe Guo Shaochun lauded the special relationship between the two countries saying, Zimbabwe was one of 11 African countries that had received Chinese doctors to assist in the fight against Covid-19.
He reiterated calls for western imposed sanctions imposed on Zimbabwe and South Sudan to be lifted.
“The unilateral sanctions make things worse for the targeted countries,” he said, adding the embargo impacted on the country’s ability to receive humanitarian support.
African diplomats, as well as those from the UAE and Palestine also handed over funds in support of Harare’s City Council’s efforts to improve the city’s water supply.
Led by the Dean of the Diplomatic Corps, Mwanananga Mwawampanga of the Democratic Republic of Congo, the African diplomats said their support for Zimbabwe was in the spirit of Ubuntu.
New Ziana
