Zimbabwe confident of winning Covid-19 fight

Harare (New Ziana) – Zimbabwe shall emerge stronger and more united after defeating the Covid-19 pandemic given the overwhelming response by local corporates, universities, well-wishers and organisations from different backgrounds to the national response against the deadly virus, President Emerson Mnangagwa said on Wednesday.

Currently the country has recorded 11 coronavirus cases, including two deaths.

The pandemic, which has caused unprecedented havoc globally, has resulted in Zimbabwe imposing a 21 day total lockdown, a decision which, although unavoidable, is expected to have far reaching consequences on the economy.

Many businesses and those who rely on informal trade have had to close shop in observance of the three week lockdown, which authorities say they are not sure whether they will relax or renew at the end of the period.

But, in the midst of all the uncertainty, universities, mining houses and other companies descended on State House on Wednesday to give massive monetary and material support for the national response to Covid-19, bringing further hope that the battle against the killer disease could be won.

In a show of commitment to the national cause, support ranging from a US$ 60 million drug supply deal that was announced by a company called Drax International, US$ 1 million from Mining companies under the auspices of the Chamber of Mines was unveiled while institutions of higher learning including University of Zimbabwe, National University of Science and Technology (NUST) and the Midlands State University availed to President Mnangagwa Covid-19 Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)and sanitizers.

On top of producing PPE, the UZ has also commissioned a study into the socio-economic impact of Covid-19 on the country, while engineers from NUST have started repairing broken down ventilators in government hospitals.

Already, four ventilators have been resuscitated in Bulawayo while the Harare Institute of Technology has concluded initial trials of its ventilator before mass production can begin.

Ventilators are crucial in treating Covid-19 patients who develop respiratory problems.

A local financial institution, Ecobank chipped in with US$30 000 for the procurement of PPE while fuel company Petrotrade donated 30 000 litres of petrol and diesel and the Indigenous Petroleum Association of Zimbabwe also donated US$ 34 000.

It is because of this show of support that President Mnangagwa believes Zimbabwe will prevail against this disease and emerge more united.

“The spirit to do everything possible within our means to contribute towards the mitigation against this pandemic, that is the spirit which is coming out, Ubuntu/Hunhu that is the spirit that is coming out,” he said.

“I am grateful, keep the spirit; this is what makes Zimbabwe a solid nation in times of challenges and in times of plenty we stand together as a nation. I believe that we will emerge out of this pandemic and challenge stronger and even more united.”

He added: “I am so grateful, I feel that I have lieutenants in the public sector and the private sector who are determined to see this country succeed. I think at the end of this period of the pandemic we shall emerge stronger in many aspects.”

President Mnangagwa said preparation was key to ensuring that the outbreak does not go out of hand, hence the interventions by the various players was welcome.

“In my view we should not feel complacent because we have low figures, the indication is that as days go by, as weeks go by, we are likely to see an upsurge in Zimbabwe both in terms of infections and possibly also in terms of deaths. We so far have eleven infections in the country, of the eleven two have passed on, so it is important that every single citizen, every single entity in the private sector and in the public sector make an effort to contribute towards the mobilisation of equipment which will be used by our Ministry of Health and Child Care to mitigate against the devastating pandemic on us,” he said.

“Contributions are coming in both in cash and kind, everything is being received and documented nothing is deemed neither as small nor as big.”

President Mnangagwa said he was impressed by local companies and universities who had quickly adapted to the pressing need for medical and hygiene consumables.

“Initially, we felt that we needed to import most of these materials from outside, we are pleasantly surprised and happy that most of these materials are now being produced locally. I believe that in a week or so production would have doubled or possibly tripled,” he said.
“We need to spread these resources countrywide so that all our nurses, a nurse in Chipinge, a nurse in Plumtree and so forth should have the same protection as the nurse here at State House or the nurse at Harare or Mpilo Hospital. We must be ready so that when it (the diseases) is fully upon us we are prepared.”

HIT is currently producing 30 000 litres of sanitiser per day, the Chinhoyi University of Technology 3 500 face masks per day while the Great Zimbabwe University is working on producing a fumigation gas.

“At the end of the day there are companies who have changed their line of production to deal with this thing which they had never thought about, universities are now producing some of these materials which they had never thought about but now because of this pandemic these things are being produced,” he said.

“This (pandemic) indeed has its bad aspect, but I see the silver lining of this pandemic, which is galvanising our people to do what they would not have done had this not happened, but I am not saying it’s a good omen to have pandemics, it is on us we have no choice and we should rise as a people to fight it in every possible manner.”

He promised that all the donations would be put to good use and reach intended beneficiaries.
New Ziana