AfricaPress-Tanzania: THE fight against Covid-19 has continued to receive financial and material support after the government yesterday received 3.18bn/-and equipment worth 15m/-from stakeholders, with Vodacom Tanzania Foundation dishing out 2bn/.
Receiving the donation in Dar es Salaam on Friday evening, Minister for Health, Community Development, Gender, Elderly and Children, Ummy Mwalimu, thanked all stakeholders, including Vodacom, for the gesture and called for more concerted efforts in curbing the spread of the disease.
At the event, Ms Mwalimu gave updates on Covid-19 cases, with the number rising to 147 people being affected, 11 people discharged after being treated successfully, and five reported deaths.
Out of 131 remaining patients, 127 are doing well, but are still quarantined because they still test positive while undergoing treatment.
Handing over a 2bn/-cheque, the Managing Director of Vodacom Tanzania, who is the main funder of the Foundation, Hisham Hendi, said the company has taken preliminary in-house measures and in the community at large to support government efforts in fighting the pandemic and ensuring business continuity.
“The Vodacom Tanzania Foundation is making a donation of 2bn/- to assist the government in its efforts to combat coronavirus in sourcing equipment and supplies,” he said, adding:
“We further extend our support to the government at all levels, including central government, Zanzibar government, Mainland Tanzania’s regional and local government working directly with government approved vendors and suppliers in delivering the needed assistance tax free, so that the full amount can be allocated for the benefit of intended end users.”
Vodacom has been active in ensuring its efforts to combat the outbreak of the coronavirus reach the masses.
The telecom company has worked hand in hand with the dedicated team of actors through the Ministry of Health, Community Development, Gender, Elderly and Children to send over 100 million SMS to Vodacom subscriber base of 14 million.
The users have subscribed to receive free awareness and educational messages on the pandemic, further equipping them to curb the outbreak in Tanzania.
“Vodacom can play a critical role in supporting society during this unprecedented time and is committed to doing its utmost during this rapidly evolving situation.
We will endeavour to put measures in place to keep Tanzanians connected to their family and friends and to ensure businesses can continue to run using remote working in this time of national challenge.
“We emphasize our willingness and commitment to assist the government and do whatever we can to help. Success will depend on citizens taking collective responsibility for preventing the spread of this pandemic. We are all in this together.
“We trust that our efforts will be well received to support you and the government at large in meeting the needs of the community that we serve, in these trying times.” Hisham said.
The Vodacom Tanzania Foundation is the Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) arm of Vodacom Tanzania Plc with the mandate to provide public benefit to vulnerable groups with a focus on women and youth.
The Foundation combines charitable giving and leverages on mobile technology to provide solutions to social problems.
Working with local NGOs and partners, Vodacom Tanzania Foundation has invested over 11.8bn/ in education, health and agriculture sectors, including climate resilience to improve the lives of more than 2.8 million Tanzanians.
Meanwhile, Minister Mwalimu also received various donations from other stakeholders, private companies and development partners to supplement the government efforts in the fight against the novel virus.
The donations included funds which were presented in dummy cheques and medical equipment donated by Rotary Club of Bahari Dar es Salaam worth 15m/-.
Ms Mwalimu said the support will be channeled into purchasing protective equipment for health personnel who are at the frontline in serving Covid-19 patients.
Other companies which provided financial support are SAN&LAM (172.500m/-), FAIDA-Letshego Bank (33m/-), Financial Sector Depending Trust FSDT (225m/), TUICO TAIFA (10m/-), Songas 100m/- , YEPI Merkezi (200m/-), NBC Bank 80m/- and Tanzania Railways Corporation (TRC) -65m/-.
In another development, the government has moved all patients who were undergoing medical treatment at Amana Regional Referral Hospital in Ilala Municipality to allow the facility to accommodate Covid-19 patients.
Speaking to the hospital’s staff after inspecting the buildings which will be used by coronavirus patients, Permanent Secretary in the health ministry, Dr Zainabu Chaula, said patients who were receiving medical treatment at the hospital had been moved to other health facilities in Dar es Salaam.
She said the government has dished out 200m/-for rehabilitating some buildings at the hospital which will be used by the patients.
On Friday Ms Mwalimu said that the government had directed Muhimbili National Hospital to stop receiving suspected Covid-19 patients so that it can continue with its responsibility of providing specialised services to patients with other ailments.
