Boost for Zim COVID-19 fight

Source: Boost for Zim COVID-19 fight – NewsDay Zimbabwe

BY STAFF REPORTER

UNITED Nations agency, Unicef, and Zimbabwean property developer West Properties have donated 200 oxygen cylinders to boost the country’s fight against rising COVID-19 cases.

Unicef Zimbabwe representative Tajudeen Oyewale said the surge in cases was a clear call for action to save lives after handing over 200 of the 500 promised oxygen cylinders to Health and Child Care deputy minister John Mangwiro last week.

“The sudden spike in confirmed cases of COVID-19 lately underpins the need to ramp up efforts to save lives. The cylinders will make it possible to transport life-saving oxygen to patients in need,” Oyewale said.

West Properties proprietor Ken Sharpe added: “We hope this will go a long way in the fight against COVID-19 and save lives.”

Sharpe was among several business tycoons and companies who pledged to assist government in fighting the pandemic in July.

In a statement after handing over US$50 000 worth of consignment of tablets, West Properties chief finance officer Simba Kadye said the donation had saved the country of over US$3,6 million.

“As promised by our chief executive officer (Sharpe) to the President (Emmerson Mnangagwa) that he would magnify his donation, here today we can witness the result of a consignment that cost US$50 000, saving the country US$3,6 million, which is the value the tablets would sell on the open market for,” Kadye said.

“We, as WestProp Zimbabwe, are committed to doing our part as a good corporate citizen and we have taken heed of the challenges our nation is facing due to the COVID-19 pandemic and the many people it has affected that can’t afford treatment,” the company added.

Government has been struggling to cope with the situation due to a dilapidated health care system and has relied on donations to manage the crisis.

The number of COVID-19 cases continues to surge during the festive season, with 27 people succumbing to the respiratory disease on Wednesday, while 32 died on Tuesday.

Seventeen people died on Monday, up from six the previous
day.

Government has expressed concern that the figures are slowly getting out of hand.