Chronicle Editor
Thandeka Moyo-Ndlovu, Chronicle Reporter
MPILO Central Hospital yesterday received a consignment of beverages and food from Dairibord Private Limited Zimbabwe worth $378 000 to supplement patients’ meals.
The donation comprised of 2 535 cases of yoghurt, mahewu, Lacto, Cascade drinks and tea leaves. The hospital services the southern region, which include Bulawayo, Midlands, Masvingo, Matabeleland North and South provinces and feeds about 600 patients daily.
Acting clinical director Dr Xolani Ndlovu said the donated food and drinks will go a long way in ensuring patients get nutritious meals.
“We are grateful for the gesture by Dairibord and we are happy because our clients will have access to healthy meals so that the medication we administer works. We have been forced to sometimes serve simple foods that are not the best due to resource constraints,” said Dr Ndlovu.
Speaking after presenting the donation, Dairibord marketing manager Ms Tracey Mutaviri said the donation was part of the $4 million which the organisation had set aside for Covid -19 relief.
She said Dairibord had resolved that some money would be used to purchase products to be donated to hospitals.
“Following the Covid-19 outbreak, our directors set aside $4 million which we later agreed would be distributed all over Zimbabwe at public hospitals. We also realised that many stakeholders and private companies were focusing on donating personal protective equipment (PPE) and we decided to focus on food,” said Ms Mutaviri.
She said the company had also targeted health institutions that include Ekusileni hospital, Gweru Provincial hospital and Sally Mugabe Central hospital.
“We need our patients to be healthy as they receive treatment hence this donation,” she said. — @thamamoe
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