MPILO Central Hospital and Tsholotsho District Hospital received a consignment of personal protective equipment (PPE) from the Zimbabwe Red Cross Society (ZRCS) .
The donation comes at a time when Matabeleland region is witnessing an increase in new Covid-19 cases.
The PPE comprises gloves, N95 masks, surgical masks, leather boots, hand sanitisers and infrared thermometers.
Zimbabwe had by Saturday recorded 12 151 confirmed cases, including 9 984 recoveries and 318 deaths.
The country has a total of 1 849 active cases and of those 525 are in Bulawayo, 300 in Matabeleland South while 93 are in Matabeleland North province.
ZRCS Head of Communications and Corporate Affairs Mr Stambuli Kim said the donation is part of the ZRCS response to Covid-19 aimed at complementing Government efforts to provide quality health care even during crisis.
“The donation is being facilitated by ZRCS as a result of funding raised through support of the German government and Novartis, an international pharmaceutical company.
“We are confident that it will help our public health institutions deliver health care services without the fear of exposing staff and their patients to Covid-19,” said Mr Kim.
Mpilo acting chief executive officer Dr Xolani Ndlovu extended his gratitude to ZRCS saying the donation will boost the hospital supplies as they have shortages.
“We are grateful for supporting us with these consumables which we greatly need given the increasing cases of Covid-19,” said Dr Ndlovu.
The organisation has also donated to the Victoria Chitepo General Hospital (formerly Mutare General Hospital) and Tongogara Refugee Camp in Manicaland province.
Tsholotsho District health services administrator Mr Gerald Chandakabata said the donation was timely.
“The PPE will go a long way in motivating our frontline staff to continue serving the public despite the emergence of Covid-19,” said Mr Chandakabata.
“This is not the first time the Red Cross has come to us. They are our all-weather friends. They have supported infrastructural development like rehabilitating the sewer system.”
Source – Chronicle