Own Correspondent
President Emmerson Mnangagwa President Mnangagwa yesterday received at State House a range of personal protective equipment and testing kits from the Development Bank of Southern Africa.
Receiving the equipment, Mnagagwa admitted Zimbabwe lacked capacity to fight the Covid-19 pandemic due to its poor health systems.
Mnangagwa said Zimbabwe has both a fragile economy and health system which hinder authorities from effectively fighting the global health calamity.
“We in Zimbabwe, we have a very fragile economy and a very fragile health system. Therefore, our capacity to fight the pandemic is inhibited by the fact that we have a fragile economy and a less developed health care service,” said Mnangagwa.
With the background of massive corruption in the Covid-19 donations, Mnangagwa was quick to try and calm the South African delegations.
“Be assured that these will be put to good use. We have developed a system of transparency and accountability where every single donation must be recorded and disbursement of such equipment must also be recorded and published so that everybody knows that everything that comes is put to excellent use. So my brothers and sisters from DBSA I want you to carry a message of gratitude,” said President Mnangagwa.
He commended South Africa through President Cyril Ramaphosa for the good gesture, saying despite Pretoria being the epicentre of the Southern African pandemic, it was kind enough to donate to a neighbour.
“We feel extremely happy that our brothers across Limpopo, despite severe attacks in your country found it befitting to assist us to mitigate the impact of the pandemic,” said President Mnangagwa.
“This pandemic knows no boundary, race or level of economic development; it is devastating across countries. We in Zimbabwe have a fragile economy and health system, so our capacity to fight the pandemic is inhibited by that,” he said.
Some of the items donated were 6 000 PCR test kits, 100 000 surgical masks, 18 000 face shields, 200 000 pairs of examination gloves, 50 000 surgical gowns, 4 000 medical suites and 11 000 goggles.