Harare, (New Ziana) – Well-wishers have in the past two weeks contributed over US$47 million to the national fund set up to mobilise financial support to enhance the government’s fight against Covid-19, a Cabinet Minister said on Wednesday.
Zimbabwe declared the outbreak of the coronavirus a national disaster
in mid-March, and set up a national disaster fund at the beginning of
April as part of efforts to mobilise resources to deal with the
disease.
An international appeal was also launched for at least US$220 million.
The country has since late March recorded three Covid-19 deaths, 18
confirmed cases and one recovery.
Speaking at a post cabinet briefing, Information, Publicity and
Broadcasting Services Minister, Monica Mutsvangwa said Cabinet had lauded the public, private sector and cooperating partners for the financial and material support extended to government.
To date, she said, the fund had received US$47 million, ZWL$21.39 million and R356 100.
“On its part, government has disbursed ZWL$591 million towards Covid-19,” Mutsvangwa said.
She said Cabinet had expressed satisfaction with progress made so far in the establishment of isolation and treatment centres in the country’s provinces, despite financial constraints being faced.
With arrival of more testing kits, she said government was planning to
ramp up testing of health personnel as well as the public, with a target
of at least 40 000 people to be tested by the end of April.
Unavailability of test kits had seen the country test less that 700
people in the last three weeks.
Cabinet, Mutsvangwa said, had agreed to promulgate two statutory
instruments to control the import of Covid-19 related materials and
subsidised basic goods to ensure adequate supplies.
Meanwhile, Public Service, Labour and Social Welfare Minster, Paul
Mavima said disbursements to vulnerable households under the ZWL$200
million set aside for the month of April had commenced.
Government has targeted to support about one million households in the
next three months.
Those benefitting under the programme will get about ZWL$200 per person
per month.
“We are reviewing the amount because it is now very little in terms of
one affording to buy essentials,” Professor Mavima said.
New Ziana
