Old Mutual has donated personal protective equipment worth $3,5 million to health workers at Bulawayo’s Thorngrove Infectious Diseases Hospital as part of the Business Fighting COVID-19 initiative.
The consignment, which is locally manufactured, made up of 400 aprons, 400 overalls, 2 000 gloves, 2 000 face masks and 2 000 protective shoes.
“The priority is to safeguard the health professionals as they battle to save the lives of Zimbabweans,” Old Mutual Zimbabwe chief executive officer Sam Matsekete said.
This latest donation follows a similar one, which benefitted Harare Hospital.
Old Mutual has already committed to providing up to $2,2 billion worth of cover to health professionals on the front line in the fight against the coronavirus pandemic, a package that covers the life of the health professionals.
“In the unfortunate event of losing the life of a health professional, Old Mutual undertakes to pay up to 12 times the monthly basic salary to the surviving family of the health professional.
“Through the scheme, COVID-19 deaths and accidental deaths are covered immediately whilst death from any other causes has a three- month waiting period,” Matsekete said at the launch of the scheme earlier this month.
The consignment was handed over by Old Mutual directors, Todd Moyo and Bekithemba Nkomo on behalf of Business Fighting COVID-19.
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Business Fighting COVID-19 is an initiative by the private sector to pool resources to fight the coronavirus, which has so far infected 28 people and killed four people in Zimbabwe.
In Bulawayo, the initiative is being coordinated by IAM4BYO.
Lindiwe Majele Sibanda, the vice chairperson of IAM4BYO – Fighting COVID-19 Trust, said theirs was an initiative that brings on board medical practitioners, the business community and civil society groupings such as churches, non-governmental organisations and individuals both in Zimbabwe and in the diaspora.
“It is heartwarming to see Old Mutual – which we know as an organisation that cares about people – making this donation,” she said.
Old Mutual and its subsidiary, Cabs, have collaborated with Africa University to produce sanitisers and with Chinhoyi University to produce masks.
